James Trembath discusses Tottenham's win over Man Utd, Pedro Porro's display, James Maddison injury fears and why the front three need to fire against Bournemouth.
00:00 James, it was a very good win against Manchester United for Tottenham at the weekend.
00:05 Great performances all around, obviously ending in a 2-0 win.
00:08 Erik Tinhag's side really quite outplayed by Tottenham, you could argue.
00:13 Looking at the full-back areas, I know you wanted to mention Pedro Porro,
00:16 who's struggled a little bit since he's come to Tottenham.
00:18 He's had some moments since he's been in that shirt.
00:21 But you thought he had a really good game at the weekend.
00:24 Yeah, I think there was a number of strong performances,
00:27 but I think particularly calling out Destiny Odogi and Pedro Porro.
00:31 I mean, Odogi's 20, Pedro Porro's just 23,
00:35 both wing-backs by trade who were essentially converted into full-backs this year by Ange Postecoglu.
00:40 And it was a big call to bring in Porro on Saturday.
00:44 Obviously, Emerson Royale played against Brentford, scored the goal,
00:47 although he was at fault for the second goal when Rico Henry got past him far too easily.
00:53 We know what Porro can do going forward.
00:55 He's terrific on the ball, excellent with his deliveries from set pieces.
00:59 He's got an eye for goal, bagged a couple last season and a few assists as well.
01:03 But it's always been the 'can he do it' going backwards?
01:06 And he was excellent.
01:08 I mean, it was defensively the best performance he's put in, in a Spurs shirt.
01:11 He'd had a shaky pre-season.
01:13 He was at fault a couple of times for goals where he sort of come in at the back post
01:17 and he's been sort of caught underneath the ball.
01:20 And he had a couple of shaky moments in the first half in particular,
01:23 but he grew into the match and he was absolutely superb defensively.
01:27 He gave away nothing, particularly in the second half.
01:30 And he got forward at Will, he was playing that inverted role,
01:32 which is not easy, collecting the ball often from the goalkeeper,
01:36 with a lot of people pressing him.
01:38 But he managed to get out very, very quickly, very well and set the tone, really.
01:42 And obviously, he had a hand in the first goal lane, the pass out to Kulosevsky.
01:46 And obviously, Kulosevsky drove in and put that deflected ball across that Sar came in and smashed home.
01:50 So, a real big call from Postakoglou, really attacking look to the team.
01:55 But I thought both he and Udoge were excellent at both ends of the pitch.
01:59 And obviously, Poro almost had a goal when he hit the crossbar in the first half,
02:03 with a terrific effort from the edge of the box.
02:05 So, big positives there, certainly.
02:08 And there was positives all over the pitch.
02:10 I mean, particularly as the game wore on, we rode our luck, no doubt, in the first half.
02:16 We were perhaps lucky to not go a goal behind.
02:18 Man United did have some big chances, obviously Bruno Fernandes missing that header,
02:22 Rashford going through one-on-one.
02:25 But Vicario, that was his best game as well, albeit he's only played twice.
02:28 But he looked very, very solid.
02:30 Reflexes superb, started the attack well with his short passing.
02:34 And he did look a little bit shaky against Brentford, but he looked very, very solid.
02:38 And I think shows big signs of potential and what we've got there,
02:42 and potentially a bargain at 17 million.
02:45 So, he was excellent, as we mentioned, the full-backs.
02:48 Defensively as a unit as well, we were very good.
02:50 Romero quietly went under the radar, but he was excellent.
02:53 You know, Martial in Van der Ven, he grew into the game.
02:56 Bissouma, again, outstanding.
02:57 We've called him out on these videos previously, but he could be one of the best,
03:03 sort of, new signings, if you want, inverted commas, of the summer,
03:07 because he's been outstanding.
03:08 Man of the match in his first two games, never got a run under contact, really,
03:12 but he looks like a player reborn.
03:14 And then you've got Paps Saar, who we know how highly Postacoglou rates him,
03:18 but he was excellent on Saturday.
03:20 He was everywhere, you know, making runs into the box, obviously got his goal.
03:24 I think he had two shots on target, actually drew a good save from Anand in the first half.
03:28 Breaking up the play, you know, he's got a good eye for a pass.
03:33 And when you think we've got Benton Kerr to come back into that midfield,
03:35 alongside Madison as well, potentially,
03:38 I think Spurs have got one of the best midfield threes,
03:41 potentially, in the league, if Benton Kerr comes back.
03:44 And he's fit and firing and returns to the form that he had previously.
03:47 So, lots of positives, you know, obviously good to get that statement victory.
03:52 The atmosphere inside the stadium was superb as well.
03:55 There was a few protests before the game around ticket prices, and rightly so.
03:59 Lots of rumbling still going on in the background with Daniel Levy and the board.
04:03 But inside the ground, the atmosphere was first class.
04:06 And, you know, it's maybe too early to say, but I'm going to say it anyway.
04:10 I think we've got our Tottenham back.
04:11 You know, there's an air of positivity about Spurs.
04:14 And to be honest, whether we finish 10th or whether we finish 4th this season,
04:18 you know, we're going to enjoy it.
04:19 And I think that's something that every Spurs fan just wants to see, you know.
04:22 Positive, attacking football, you know, the right intent.
04:25 And we've got a manager who, you know, I think, to be fair to Daniel Levy,
04:28 I think he's going to be a fantastic appointment.
04:31 Obviously, time will tell in terms of how we develop and how we finish.
04:34 We'll by no means have finished article, but there definitely are positive signs.
04:39 And a nice to get that statement victory over, albeit an underperforming Man U side
04:43 in the second half.
04:44 But certainly good to lay down a bit of a marker to the rest of the division.
04:48 Just wanting to pick out James Madison, of course.
04:50 He's been something of a revelation since he's come to Tottenham.
04:53 Obviously, you've waxed lyrical about him many times and the ability he has.
04:56 But he was seen leaving the ground wearing, I think it's one of those moon boots
05:00 that you can wear to support your ankle and foot area.
05:03 That's a concern already, though, isn't it?
05:06 Massively.
05:07 I mean, he's been outstanding, you know, since he's walked through the door.
05:10 Pretty season friendly.
05:11 He's looked very, very sharp.
05:12 He was excellent again on Saturday.
05:14 Got two assists in the first game at Brentford.
05:16 I mean, he did play the 90 minutes.
05:17 I think he went down under a challenge.
05:19 Might have been from Martinez, where he won a bit of a shout for a penalty.
05:23 And he continued, but he was down for a long time.
05:27 Managed to pick himself up, play 90 minutes.
05:29 Was enjoying the celebrations at the end and he looked fine.
05:31 But obviously, when the adrenaline sort of empties out, you know,
05:36 obviously, perhaps there's an issue there.
05:37 He said in the mix zone afterwards, it was just a precaution.
05:40 And the way he walked through on that protective boot and the crutches,
05:43 he was pretty much walking.
05:45 It was just almost using the aid of the crutch slightly just to keep the weight off it.
05:48 So, you know, fingers crossed because we're going to need him.
05:51 You know, as I've said, you know, before, massive, massive advocate of Madison.
05:55 I think he could well be one of the signings of the summer as well for £40 million.
05:58 He's been brilliant since he's come through the door.
06:01 Vice-captain as well, obviously, as well.
06:03 And he's taken on the mantle of that number 10 shirt from Harry Kane.
06:06 So, yeah, we need him fit.
06:07 And obviously, we're looking with sort of bated breath to the team news ahead of this weekend to make sure he's OK.
06:13 If he's not, then Giovanni Lo Celso would come in, I would imagine.
06:18 He's had a very, very good pre-season as well, scored a couple of goals.
06:21 And he's looked sharp.
06:23 You know, he's been out on loan a couple of times.
06:25 But as I've said before, you know, I've seen him live a couple of times, Lo Celso.
06:28 And when he's on it, he can really, really drive the team forward.
06:31 He's got a real good eye for a pass.
06:33 You know, he's got an eye for goal as well.
06:34 But he also does the dirty work and can get up and down the pitch, almost in a number eight position.
06:39 So, we don't want Madison to be injured.
06:41 But, you know, we have got a little bit of depth there with Lo Celso who could possibly come in.
06:44 But, yeah, fingers crossed, Madison's OK and he's fit to go on Saturday.
06:48 And just looking ahead to Saturday, of course, it is Bournemouth, who in their game against Liverpool, went and took the lead early on.
06:56 Liverpool then came back and, of course, won 3-1.
06:58 But Bournemouth, you know, they had their moments in that game, certainly.
07:01 So, they will pose a threat.
07:04 Obviously, Tottenham, off the back of their good win against Manchester United, will be full of confidence.
07:09 But what sort of challenge are you expecting from that game?
07:12 Well, it's always tough to go away to Bournemouth.
07:14 You know, it's a tight little ground, lunchtime kick-off.
07:17 We struggled last year massively.
07:19 I mean, we went 2-0 down and we managed to come back and nick it with Benson Kerr in the 95th minute, I think, last kick of the game from a corner.
07:26 So, we know it's going to be tough.
07:27 We've got to be on it.
07:28 And I think, you know, we've seen from Spurs far too often, you know, we go and beat a good team at home and then we go away from home.
07:34 Against a lesser side, if you want to call it that, no disrespect to Bournemouth.
07:37 And we slip up and it's a bit like after the Lord Mayor's show, isn't it?
07:40 So, you know, we need to be up for it.
07:42 We need to be on it.
07:43 We've got a real chance in the next couple of games.
07:45 We're away at Bournemouth, away at Burnley, home to Sheffield United.
07:48 They're the next three fixtures.
07:49 You know, we've got to be looking to take, I mean, nine points out of nine, really, but minimum seven out of nine there, before we have a bit of a tough end to September with Arsenal and Liverpool.
07:58 So, big opportunity for Spurs.
08:01 As I say, lunchtime kick-off, never easy.
08:03 You never quite know what you're going to get.
08:06 Team news will be interesting.
08:07 Do we go same again?
08:08 Obviously, question marks over Madison.
08:11 Or do we bring back Emerson Royale, perhaps, for that little bit of defensive cover with it being an away game?
08:16 I think one of the things we do need to see early doors now is goals from the front three.
08:20 I mean, you know, we're only two games in.
08:22 Son looked much, much brighter against Manchester United.
08:26 I mean, you can tell his fitness is growing.
08:28 He's had a very short pre-season for various reasons, but he looked fit.
08:33 We got some good minutes in his legs again on Saturday, and he did look very sharp.
08:37 And he's the oldest statesman now at 31, he's the oldest player in the team.
08:40 We've got a really, really young team.
08:41 So, we could do with a goal from Son just to give him confidence.
08:45 Kulosevsky grew into the game as well against Manchester United, but still looks a little bit void of confidence as well.
08:51 And then you've obviously got Richarlison, who, you know, you can't fault his work rate and his endeavour, but, you know, his touch with his hold-up play,
08:58 it needs to be sharper in and around. And he didn't have one single shot on target, or even a shot, I don't think, against Manchester United.
09:06 So, I think there's still work to do in the transfer window for Spurs.
09:09 Obviously, we've got another week and a bit to go.
09:11 We definitely need, you know, at least competition for Richarlison if he is going to be the man.
09:17 But a couple of early goals for him and Son, I think would do the confidence the world of good and, you know, get those players into the groove.
09:23 Obviously, confidence players, we've seen with Son, very, very streaky at times.
09:27 You know, he'll get one or two goals and then he'll go on a run where he scores for seven, eight games on the bounce.
09:32 So, we need to get those front three firing.
09:34 But again, you know, early goals for Ansh Postakoglu, getting those methods and messages across.
09:40 And I just think we need to be looking for Richarlison a little bit more.
09:42 There was a couple of times where he did make good runs in behind, but obviously was so used to playing with Harry Kane up there,
09:48 they're not quite on the same wavelength yet. And similar to how you see often with Erling Haaland at Manchester City,
09:54 you know, he makes those runs in behind and he's not always spotted or found.
09:57 So, you know, there's sort of similarities there, I think, in the way we need to adapt to play to Richarlison.
10:03 Obviously, he's certainly not the player that Haaland is, but, you know, he's Brazil's number nine.
10:07 We paid £60 million for him and I just think that sort of area of responsibility and the Spurs shirt's weighing a little bit heavy on him at the moment.
10:14 You know, he's only scored one Premier League goal, I think it's three in total.
10:18 He had a lot of injury problems last season. He was in and out.
10:20 He's never really had a chance to play down the middle, but we do need to start seeing a return.
10:25 So a couple of early goals would be nice for him just to give him some confidence as well.
