Spurs secured a comfortable 5-1 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk in their final pre-season friendly before the start of the Premier League season.
Here’s five things we learned from the game…
No doubts about Harry Kane‘s commitment
Embed from Getty ImagesWith the England captain heavily linked with Bayern Munich, Harry Kane captained his side in what could be his last game in a Tottenham shirt. From the first whistle until the final, the same seven words roared round the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Harry Kane, he’s one of our own. The England captain certainly showed his class on the day, scoring a hat-trick within 55 minutes much to the delight of the 53,000 Tottenham fans. Kane’s game ended in the 80th minute shortly after scoring his fourth goal of the match, and while it remains unclear whether the England international will be a Tottenham player come September, it is clear the fans will always have a special place in their heart for their club’s all-time record goalscorer.
Udogie Destined for stardom
Embed from Getty ImagesDestiny Udogie has shone for Tottenham in his first pre-season with the club. Preferred over the likes of Sergio Reguilon and Ben Davies as the starting left-back for the majority of pre-season, Udogie had an extremely strong performance on his home debut. While the Italian international is best known for his attacking capabilities, which were extremely apparent in the game against Shakhtar, Udogie’s defensive performance was impressive also, winning the ball back comfortably multiple times throughout the game. It is clear that Udogie will be the preferred starting left-back for Ange Postecoglou this campaign, and if his pre-season performances are anything to go on, it could be a breakout year for the 21-year-old in his debut Premier League campaign.
Maddison here, there and everywhere
Embed from Getty ImagesSummer signing James Maddison has brought plenty of excitement to the Tottenham fanbase. After arriving from Leicester City for £40m early on in the summer transfer window, Maddison looks to have integrated into the Tottenham team seamlessly. Making his home debut alongside Udogie, he put in an extremely impressive performance against Shakhtar. The England international was often the man leading the press, showcasing his unrelenting energy, with Heung-Min Son and Kane respectively staying wider and deeper. Maddison won a foul in the box to bring Spurs their first goal in the form of a Harry Kane penalty, and was largely involved in all of Tottenham’s key chances on the day. After an impressive pre-season, the summer signing will be looking to hit the ground running and become an invaluable player in Postecoglou’s side.
Defence still leaky
Embed from Getty ImagesDespite winning the game by a comfortable margin, the problems in a Tottenham defence that conceded 63 goals last season are still apparent. The Spurs defence fell asleep in the 45th minute, and a well-taken header led to a Shakhtar equaliser when Ben Davies was caught out at the back-post. Romero remains rash, picking up a yellow card for an unnecessary challenge in the 60th minute. Though the Romero-Davies partnership has been the preferred for Postecoglou for the majority of pre-season, with the imminent arrival of centre-back Micky van de Ven from Wolsfburg, the Spurs defence may just get the shake up it needs before the opening game of the PL season against Brentford.
Free-flowing attacking football is back at Spurs
After a spell of managers whose football was characterised by sitting back and counter attacking, the free-flowing attacking football that Spurs fans know and love is back at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. After an impressive 5-1 win on the day, in which the home side amassed 20 shots on target, the days of unentertaining football at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium are no longer. In a promising indication of what is to come under Ange Postecoglou’s time as Tottenham manager, there is no doubt Spurs fans have all the reason to be excited for the season ahead.
