Ange Postecoglou shares exciting Richarlison behind-the-scenes update ahead of Tottenham return
Tottenham Hotspur will be eager to return to winning ways in the Premier League when they host London rivals West Ham United on Saturday.
Ange Postecoglou’s charges will lock horns with the Hammers in Saturday’s 12:30pm kick-off at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Tottenham have dominated in many of their games, showing the potential is there to become a real nightmare for opponents.
However, Spurs have suffered from defensive errors and a lack of consistency in taking their chances and, as a result, they’re currently just ninth in the standings.
Meanwhile, the Hammers currently sit 12th and will be high in confidence following their resounding 4-1 win over Ipswich Town last time out.
Tottenham have been boosted by the imminent return of two players who have been on the sidelines, namely Son Heung-min and Richarlison.
Postecoglou spoke to football.london on Friday and shared what Spurs have done differently with his latest road back recovery
Ange Postecoglou says Tottenham ace Richarlison has ‘trimmed down’
The Tottenham boss revealed that not only has Richarlison recovered from his injury, but he’s trimmed down and is now in amazing shape.
We’ve taken our time with him but it hasn’t been just about him recuperating and recovering from the injury,” said Postecoglou.
“We’ve tried to use it to build his fitness base up so when he comes back and to be fair to him, he’s worked awfully hard. He has trimmed down, he looks really lean now and has worked really hard.
“We’ve tried to use it almost as a pre-season for him on an individual basis to not just get him to recover from his injury because he probably recovered from his injury a couple of weeks ago, but we’ve used the last couple of weeks to get his fitness base up and him into good physical condition so we don’t have to keep going through this cycle of him coming back and breaking down.
“Like I said, to be fair to him he’s worked really hard and he’s looked really good. He’s had a good week of training and he has missed playing.
He is a real infectious guy as well so good to have him back with the group.”
Richarlison road to recovery
Richarlison has been out of action since Tottenham’s 4-0 win over Everton in late August.
He featured for just 24 minutes in that game, alongside being a last-minute substitute against Leicester City the preceding weekend.
Richarlison also suffered from injuries last season, resulting in him struggling to nail down a starting place in the latter stages of the season.
The 27-year-old underwent groin surgery earlier in the 2023/24 campaign, which saw him hit a rich vein of form shortly after his return.
Tottenham Hotspur play host to West Ham United in Saturday’s early Premier League kick-off.
Spurs will be eager to bounce back after falling to yet another disappointing result before an international break.
Tottenham led 2-0 at Brighton & Hove Albion last time out, only to capitulate as the hosts surged back for a 3-2 win.
Meanwhile, West Ham had a tricky start to the season but steadied the ship prior to the international break with a 4-1 win over Ipswich Town.
The Hammers are now unbeaten in two after picking up a 1-1 draw at Brentford ahead of the Ipswich match
Alan Shearer predicts narrow Tottenham win over West Ham
Shearer, writing on Metro, backed Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs to secure a narrow win over Julen Lopetegui’s Hammers.
“This is a big game for Ange Postecoglou,” wrote Shearer. “It’s a huge game for Spurs after what happened to them last time at Brighton.
Jamie Bynoe-Gittens: A £50m Target for Liverpool and Spurs?
Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, Borussia Dortmund’s electrifying young winger, has quickly become a player in demand across Europe. As Football Insider revealed, Premier League giants Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur have been informed that the exciting 20-year-old talent could be available for £40-50 million next summer. This revelation has set the football world buzzing, and it’s easy to see why the English forward is attracting so much attention.
The Rise of a Bundesliga Star
Bynoe-Gittens has emerged as one of Borussia Dortmund’s brightest young talents. The England Under-21 international has already bagged four goals and two assists across all competitions this season. While these stats are impressive, it’s his performances in the Champions League that have turned heads. Scoring twice in two games, including a standout display against Celtic in a 7-1 drubbing, Bynoe-Gittens has shown that he’s more than ready to make his mark on the biggest stages.
His speed, flair, and ability to cut inside from the left wing onto his stronger right foot make him a nightmare for defenders. It’s no wonder Liverpool and Tottenham, two clubs in need of a future attacking star, are paying close attention.
Where Could He Fit?
Both Liverpool and Spurs are actively planning for a future beyond their current wide options. Liverpool, in particular, are dealing with growing uncertainty around the future of club icon Mohamed Salah. With his contract running out in the summer of 2025 and Saudi Arabian clubs circling, there’s a sense that the Reds could be seeking a long-term replacement. Bynoe-Gittens, with his pace and dribbling, could fit seamlessly into their high-press, attacking system.
At Tottenham, the scenario is different but equally pressing. Son Heung-min, despite his undeniable contributions over the years, is now 32 and has struggled with injuries and form this season. Spurs have already made moves to reinforce their wide options, signing Wilson Odobert from Burnley in the summer. However, Bynoe-Gittens could represent a long-term successor to Son, offering Spurs a potent threat down the flanks for years to come.
A Summer Transfer Battle Looms
With Chelsea also reportedly monitoring the situation, Bynoe-Gittens’ future could become one of the hottest topics in next summer’s transfer window. The Premier League’s top clubs are always on the lookout for young, dynamic talents, and the Borussia Dortmund winger fits the bill perfectly. Premier League scouts have already been seen at Dortmund games, and the scramble for his signature is likely to intensify as the summer of 2025 approaches.
Our View – EPL Index Analysis
It’s clear why the buzz around Jamie Bynoe-Gittens is only growing. At just 20 years old, he’s already proving himself in the Bundesliga and Champions League, which are both highly competitive environments. His pace and ability to take on defenders could be a huge asset for any Premier League club.
Fans of Liverpool may see Bynoe-Gittens as a natural successor to Salah. Though replicating the Egyptian’s influence won’t be easy, Bynoe-Gittens’ dynamic playing style fits Liverpool’s ethos. He’s young, quick, and shows an immense hunger on the pitch, which echoes the traits that have made Salah so beloved at Anfield.
Tottenham supporters, meanwhile, might view the signing as a necessary step in preparing for life without Son. While Son’s contribution to Spurs has been immense, every player eventually declines. Bynoe-Gittens could be the spark that reignites their wing play, offering a fresh option for their attacking line.
The competition between the clubs adds intrigue, but fans of both sides will surely be excited by the prospect of landing such a highly regarded talent. If either side can seal the deal, they could be securing one of the Premier League’s next breakout stars.
Despite a relatively rocky start to the 2024-25 Premier League season, former longtime Tottenham player Ledley King still believes Ange Postecoglou is the “right man” to lead the club forward.
Tottenham entered the international break in ninth place after losing three of their last five games, a disappointing beginning to a campaign that follows the club’s fifth-place finish in Postecoglou’s first year as manager in North London.
Yet King is not panicking yet as he sees positivity in the way Postecoglou has set the team up to play, telling Seaman Says, brought to you by Betway, that the Aussie manager’s style should eventually lead to improved results.
“I think it’s been a breath of fresh air in terms of just going out there trying to win games,” King said. “I’ve always felt with Tottenham that we’ve always had good enough players to win any game of football. It’s obviously not always happened, but there’s not been one game where I didn’t believe we were going to win because we have players that are capable of doing that.
“I think that’s where Ange is at – if we play our game and we play it well, we can win the game, and that’s his thought. Playing well and trying to be entertaining while you’re doing it. It’s just his style. People will probably read too much into it in terms of how you’re best going to win games. There are going to be ups and downs because of the style that he wants to play.”
For King, Postecoglou has earned the right to struggle through some unwanted results based on how the club fared last season. It takes time to build a winning culture, and King believes Postecoglou has Spurs on the right track.
“Ange needs time,” he said. “Last season, finishing fifth was good for me. You lose Harry Kane [to Bayern Munich] before the start of the season, a new manager comes in and we still got fifth position. Now, we want to see a progression on that, obviously, but I believe in him. If you give him time, I believe that he’s the right man.
“We’re in every competition still, so there’s a chance [of winning something]. I’ve always believed that our best chance of winning anything is by being ourselves and just playing, players expressing themselves, going for it. I look back to the team when I won the League Cup in 2008, and it was a team that played against a very good Chelsea side on the day, but we just played our game. That’s always going to be the best chance for me, rather than thinking too much. Being free to play, I think, is Tottenham’s best way of actually getting over the line and winning the trophy.”
The Lilywhites are back at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this weekend, with West Ham the guests. Spurs will be looking to bounce back from that woeful defeat to Brighton, while the Hammers will simply want to improve on their dismal eight points from seven games.
Tottenham vs West Ham United
We believe that Guglielmo Vicario will start between the sticks for Tottenham, fresh off the back of his competitive debut for Italy in the international break.
At right-back, Pedro Porro returns to action after a successful recall to the Spain national team.
At left-back, Destiny Udogie retains his spot despite putting in his worst Tottenham performance to date against Brighton last time out.
In the centre of defence, Cristian Romero and Micky Van de Ven continue to be the go-to partnership for Ange Postecoglou, despite Radu Dragusin’s superb performance for Romania this week.
Rodrigo Bentancur starts in the pivot role, aided by the fact he has been training with Postecoglou at Hotspur Way all week rather than jetting off around the world.
Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison line up in the more attacking and creative midfield positions.
On the right of attack, Brennan Johnson will be hoping to make it eight goals in eight games for club and country across all competitions.
On the left, Heung-min Son finally returns from injury to captain the side.
Up front, Dominic Solanke leads the line following his first minutes for England in over seven years.
Micky Van de Ven retains starting berth but Netherlands suffer defeat
Mon 14 October 2024, 22:00
|
Tottenham Hotspur
Micky van de Ven kept his place in the Netherlands starting XI on Monday night but suffered defeat as his nation fell 1-0 to Germany in the UEFA Nations League.
For the first time in his international career, Micky started for a second consecutive game for the Oranje as their Nations League campaign continued in Munich on Monday.
Starting for the first time at centre back, the defender partnered Stefan de Vrij and played the full 90 minutes as a Jamie Leweling strike on 64 minutes was enough to give the Germans all three points and control of League A Group 3. They now sit two points clear of the Dutch.
The game saw Micky earn his 10th international cap.
