Spurs vs Southampton - The Story
Welcome to a new season and the Tottenham Hotspur season opener, Spurs vs Southampton - The Story.
Very remiss of me but I haven't given much thought as to how I'm going to report on games this season, I'll have to put my thinking cap on. In the meantime...
Spurs vs Southampton - The Story
Tottenham Hotspur vs Southampton
Kick-off was at 2pm (GMT) on 6th August 2022
The referee for this match was Andre Marriner
The game was played at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in North London
Attendance: 61,732
This was a match in the English Premier League season 2022/2023
Tottenham Hotspur starting XI
Substitutes
The Tottenham Hotspur bench was (5 subs allowed to be used this season):
1st Half
The Spurs vs Southampton first-half game summary, Spurs go behind after 12 minutes to a mis-hit James Ward Prowse shot.Ryan Sessegnon levels the scores at 1-1 just 9 minutes later before Eric Dier puts Spurs 2-1 ahead a further 10 minutes later.
Both goals the result of headers, an assist from Dejan Kulusevsli with a super cross to the back post and an assist for Heung-min Son with a cross for a very clever stooping header from Dier.
2nd Half
The Spurs vs Southampton second-half game summary.Spurs stayed in control of the game and were helped by a crazy needless own-goal that was beyond belief. The ball wasn't going in the net, wasn't travelling at pace and somehow, with nobody anywhere near him, Salisu puts the ball into his own net.
Two minutes later we scored a proper goal, Emerson Royal getting an assist and Dejan Kulusevski getting his opener for the season to cap a productive day for him.
A Juventus squad player or Érik Lamela?
As much as everyone loved the effort and work rate of Lamela, Kulusevski is an upgrade, he has an end product more often.
The show pony has moved on, we have our new King of the right.
A front three of Kane, Son and Kulusevski certainly tells Richarlison to up his game.
The rest of the half was noticeable for bringing on some new signings to give them a taste and for one of them to get himself needlessly booked with a daft challenge after just 2 minutes!
Spurs Statistics
The Spurs vs Southampton game statistics were:
Spurs 58% possession
18 goal attempts
8 shots on target
6 shots off target
4 shots blocked
6 free kicks
10 corner kicks
2 offsides
20 throw ins
1 goalkeeper save
11 fouls
3 yellow cards
554 passes
470 completed passes
24 tackles
95 attacks
67 dangerous attacks
Match Report
This was the 4th time Tottenham has started the season against Southampton, winning two and drawing one and that unbeaten record continued.Tottenham cruised to victory over Southampton and made it 4 Premier League wins on the trot with a Saints 4-1 demolition job.
They may have done the double over us last season but Ralph Hasenhüttl’s outfit weren't going to make it three in a row this time despite going ahead against the run of play.
James Ward-Prowse met Moussa Djenepo’s cross from the left flank and I thought he then mishit a half-volley past Hugo Lloris to give the home crowd some anxious moments. He hit the ball into the ground and the bounce took it into the top corner, fortunate I though rather then brilliant as the commentators thought.
That was the 16th game on the trot in all competitions that Southampton had scored against Spurs.
That spurred us into retaliation though as we upped the ante as the minutes ticked on.
Just 9 minutes had ticked on when Dejan Kulusevski sent a decent cross to the back post for an onrushing Ryan Sessegnon, who was gifted a free header by Kyle Walker-Peters.
The Englishman made no mistake, accepted the gift and headed powerfully into the back of the net. Back to parity, game on.
Spurs went ahead just 10 minutes later in a similar fashion but from the other flank.
A free-kick from Heung-min Son saw Eric Dier almost kneel down to glance a header across the Saints goalkeeper.
Close misses or saves from Son, Ben Davies, and Harry Kane before the break could have extended our lead and has Son passed to Kane instead of shooting then perhaps we would have gone in 3-1, in fact almost certainly we would have given the space Kane as in at the time..
Antonio Conte’s boys continued ith relentless efforts against the shaky Saints, for whom it as Deja Vue having dropped more points, 29, from winning positions than any other Premier League team last season.
The game went beyond a Saints comeback when Ghana defender Mohammed Salisu somehow kicked the ball into his own goal.
A bizarre own-goal, still rather hard to believe he managed it with no danger whatsoever around and a ball not going into the net anyway.
Why does Emerson Royal not get given an assist for this? LOL
Why was he going for it with his left foot when it was a right-footed clearance?
These are professional footballers, that as schoolboy stuff, as a pro you should be able to swing your standing leg at a ball, but doesn't this show that they don't practice using their wrong foot in training, why not?
That basic mistake shows an anxious mentality, that shows panic, that shows a lack of calmness under pressure, there is a guy who needs a psychologist to help his game.
This anxiousness is something Antonio Conte is working on with the Spurs players through one of his assistants and the first team sports psychologist.
There shortly followed a Kulusevski curler, an unstoppable low shot from the right side to make it 4-1.
Hugo Lloris had to keep out a Joe Aribo shot but that was really the only threat. Spurs nearly added a fifth but having been put through by Kane, Son hit a weak shot straight at the keeper having opened his body to curl it into the far corner.
Tottenham have now scored 24 goals in the last eight home games, while for Southampton this was their seventh away defeat in the last eight matches against Spurs.
THBN Man of the Match: Dejan Kulusevski (Tottenham Hotspur)
Now that we have reached the top of the table, all we have to do is stay there!
Antonio Conte Interview
Post game interview with victorious Spurs head coach Antonio Conte.
QUESTION: Was that a perfect way to start?
"It was a really good start for us. It was really important to have this reaction after 15-20 minutes we were 1-0 down, despite starting well, with great personality and good possession to create many situations to score. But then to stay 1-0 down was really important to see the reaction of my team.
"The reaction was really good because we kept calm, we continued to play in the way that we know. To believe in what we tried before in this week before playing Southampton. We won three important points but the most important thing was the way we got three points, with really good football, with the ball, without the ball, with important pressure, also the way we decided to win the ball after we lost it was another important aspect.
"We are working to implement football knowledge over the last season. For sure today we have seen this team has seven months of work on its back. I always say this. This season, we are starting with seven months of work and for me it’s very important because I can go another step, in another situation, to implement football knowledge and try to be stronger."
THBN Comment: This is what fans don't get. OK it as early in the game, but Plan B is always to do Plan A better, that is effectively what we had to do, to perform Plan A better without conceding.
And that is what we did, very well banging in 4 goals. What was pleasing was that e went ahead and didn't sit back.
For me it s a clear sign that e are getting better at playing the Conte system, at playing Plan A.
We saw some of the one-touch passing that we saw in pre-season and that we have obviously been working on in training this summer.
SPURS CHAT & TRANSFER NEWS
SPURS Summer Transfer Window Day 59 (opens in a new window)
"I’m really pleased for Sess because we are working very well with him, especially on the physical aspect because in the past this player had many injuries and after one or two months, then again injury, muscular problems. He’s working well and we are giving him stability in the physical aspect. I think it’s very important that we signed a player like Ivan Perišić because he [Sessegnon] can see the way to learn something about Ivan. We are talking about a very important player in Ivan, a top player.
"Sometimes it’s good to bring into your team players even if they are a bit over-age. If they are a good player with experience, they can bring this experience to improve young players in your squad. I think Sessegnon is doing this. I was really pleased because today he played a good game. Emerson played a good game. Now we have to continue in this way."
THBN Comment: As mentioned previously, or was it yesterday, Sessegnon physically looks like a different person from last season, he no has the physicality to play at this level which will help his mentality and confidence greatly.
That of course will improve his game and we saw the beginning of that yesterday.
Emerson had an assist and it was his cross the goal pass that was inexplicably turned into the net for an own goal.
Little thought has been given by those on social media that a player can improve in his second season, when statistically the third year is a players best year.
QUESTION: Do you want more goals from Sessegnon, he just said you would have killed him if he missed?
"If you remember maybe five minutes before there was a cross and he was behind his opponent. On the bench we were really upset with him because he has to attack the second post and find the right position.
"After three minutes then he scored and we were pleased and celebrated a lot because five minutes before he wasn’t in the same place to score. Today he scored another goal. He was always in our offensive position. It was good. I’m happy for him because he has great potential but has to show this potential."
THBN Comment: Here is the game many don't see, the off the ball game, where a player should be, not where he is.
It is anticipation vs reaction, it is pro-active vs reactive, something I have written about a year or so ago now.
A positive mindset is needed to show potential because you have to see an opportunity before it presents itself and a negative or defensive mindset will prevent you seeing it.
The work Sessegnon has been doing on his mentality is vital to his improvement, I'm delighted he went to see a sports psychologist to assist his game.
Now of course, he has a first team psychologist to speak to.
QUESTION: Do the new signings add pressure, we saw Sessegnon and Kulusevski step up?
QUESTION: Do the new signings add pressure, we saw Sessegnon and Kulusevski step up?
"I was really surprised to read that someone was astonished that we sign six players in early time. I think with the club, our first target was to try to improve the squad compared to last season because last season I think the squad we finished the season with maybe 13 players. We were lucky to have no (more) injuries because we lost Skippy and Tanganga in January.
"Our first target was to improve the squad and the numerical aspect and quality aspect. To play for competition and if we want to try to be competitive and stronger than last season, we need to have a squad. I think we work with common sense to sign players with specific characteristics for our system, for our target and the club work well. Yeah, we work together for the best of the club. I always say I do everything for the best of the club, not myself."
THBN Comment: Kulusevski step up? Did the journalist watch last season at all, did he not see Kulusevski performing? Deki just continued that form.
"We work with common sense to sign players with specific characteristics for our system", I'm not sure everyone appreciates that is more important than signing a name.
Bentancur and Kulusevski showed our fans that but still they call for names and complain about players like Clément Lenglet, it's madness.
PREVIOUS ARTICLES LINKS
Spurs Summer Transfer Window Day 57 - 2,485 words
Spurs Summer Transfer Window Day 56 - 1,835 words
QUESTION: You said you signed players with specific characteristics, what were they?
"The characteristics are to play intense football and to play this type of modern football, the players has to have quality, it is normal he has quality but at the same time he has to be strong physically, a good engine, stamina because this league is very, very difficult. It is totally different to other leagues and we need players with this characteristic to have quality but to be strong physically and to run, to run a lot. To bring intensity during a game because I like to press but you need to have a player strong to do high pressure and this type of football."
THBN Comment: Plenty of talk of physicality. Compare Ryan Sessegnon and Bryan Gil. The Spaniard has looked lightweight for the Premier League whereas Sessegnon now has the physicality he didn't have before.
QUESTION: You named none of your new signings in the starting line-up, why was that?
QUESTION: You named none of your new signings in the starting line-up, why was that?
"Me, I am not surprised because I think that I use common sense because in this moment we are starting the new season and the old players reach a big achievement last season to get a place in Champions League. In the last 10 games I think we played really well and we had fantastic results. My message was very clear that I trust a lot in the old players and in this moment they are more reliable than the new players because they need to continue to work with us and continue to implement football knowledge.
"With the old players, I am in a step forward. For this reason I prefer to count on the start on the older players but I think it was right after this game and the final result. At the same time I really enjoy and I am really happy because we have new signings that are going into our process and for sure they will help us to improve, but at the same time they have to know they have to fight and they have to give me the possibility to make rotations.
"Now we are going to play one game a week but in September we start to play every three days and for sure we need to have rotation but for a club like Tottenham it is very important not to drop the level, don't drop the quality when you make rotation. That was the first target and I was very clear with the club and the club was totally in agreement with me."
THBN Comment: Why do fans never understand new players often need time to integrate, that injuries mean not everyone is at the same level of fitness or have played in a certain system for as long as the players who have been learning since November?
Why do they start a season with a lack of faith in players who, under Conte, ere the third best team in the Premier League?
As Conte says, new players must fight for a place. Let me take you back to Ndombele signing, he expected to be a first choice without having to work for it.
Richarlison suspended, Lenglet not here for long, Spence not here for long, Perišić attaining fitness after injury, Bissouma attaining fitness after Covid and Forster a back-up goalkeeper, so there wasn't really an opportunity to start them.
QUESTION: What is the realistic expectation for this season? How far can you go?
QUESTION: What is the realistic expectation for this season? How far can you go?
"Honestly, I don’t know. My realistic expectation is to go game by game and to understand which is in this moment our position in the Premier League. Because I'm seeing also the other teams improved a lot, signed a lot of players and the transfer market has not finished and all the teams tried to improve.
"We have to go step by step. It’s very important to have seven months of work at our back, for me, for the players with me. It will be very important because I’m not starting from zero. Honestly in this moment I have a big difficulty to answer what is our realistic target. We have to try to be stronger than the past and we are working for this. Then we go game by game.
"Next week we have a game like Chelsea and with Chelsea last season I have seen a lot of difference. A different level. We played three games in 12 days and we lost three games and didn’t score. They showed in these three games that they were much better than us. Realistically we have to wait before making judgement for this season."
THBN Comment: We go into the Chelsea game with confidence and meet them with a new defence so we have to be optimistic and I think it will be important for our season.
A win would help to give belief and increased belief will result in even better performances.
QUESTION: Would merely a top four finish be satisfactory?
"But to finish top four in England is always a success. If you speak with the owner (laughs) he’s ready to sign every season to finish top four, especially in England because it means that with six top teams in England, if you finish top four last season then United and Arsenal missed finishing in the Champions League.
"You know Liverpool, City, Chelsea, maybe if a disaster doesn't happen they stay there. So you fight. Then you know also the strength of United, but you have seen what Arsenal are doing with Arteta in these many years to improve the team. It's not easy but I am a person who has ambition and I want to transfer the right ambition to my players with no presumption and arrogance. I only know one way to work, to continue to improve. I think that if we continue to do this we are stronger than last season."
THBN Comment: Realistically Top 4 is a target, but you start by targetting winning the league and the domestic cups.
The domestic cups depend on who you get drawn against and who you meet in the final but for sure seeing us in a cup final will be a step in the right direction, if it includes a top 4, preferably top 3 finish.
3,231 words
COYS
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3 comments
Anything else is a bonus I will gladly accept and as you said, improvement on what has gone before, as in, "Plan A".
I can't really express how grateful I am, as a fan that the club have managed to entice Antonio Conte. I was excited when he was approached before the previous season began and now I still need to pinch myself that it is real. Thank you so much, Ole, for "El Sackico" and sorry it had the reverse effect on yourself.
If Conte fails to win anything, I don't care as he will have at least improved the team to a level where they can compete with the best. As we all know, there's only one winner, roll of the dice, turn of a friendly car…
Interesting. And, as before, my views are not necessarily those of the 'management' so I'll add them and see how close Clive's response comes to what I believe.
I believe that Sonny has the skill to take great corners that have a very high reliability of getting to where they need to get to. I observe so many where the corner is wasted due to the taker getting it wrong. We used to see that more at Spurs - but not for a while.
Another bonus is that when the ball gets recycled and comes back out wide then Sonny often receives it somewhere near the corner of the box - and we all know how dangerous he is from there. I would say that it's one of his favourite spots to score from.
I think Sonny taking corners works very well for us.
COYS!!