Kulusevski centrally could be an answer. Dejan Kulusevski has played all 3 pre-season games in a central position of the pitch. The first 2 friendlies against Hearts and QPR he played in an attacking midfield role, and he was the striker today against Vissel Kobe. He has been playing sharp, clever, precise passes including a backheel for Porro today and a backheel for Maddison in the build up to Brennan Johnson’s goal against Hearts. Very effective.
Mikey Moore continues to impress. Mikey has been involved in a goal directly in each of the 3 pre season games so far as he scored against Hearts and scored today and played a delightful cross for Scarlett against QPR. It was a simple instinctive striker’s goal today, but it was good movement from Mikey to be in the right position. He could have had more today as well if the Vissel Kobe defender didn’t handball in the box.
Sonny’s first goal of pre-season. Son has been blowing hot and cold in the previous friendlies and had missed some big chances you would expect our captain to put away – especially against QPR – but he was back on the scoresheet today. Things you love to see.
Average performances from Solomon, Skipp and Phillips. Manor Solomon and Oliver Skipp were among the older players who finished the game, yet looked the most underwhelming on the pitch. Solomon struggled to take on his man and Skipp should have done better for the Vissel Kobe equaliser at the time. Ashley Phillips is a young defender so I don’t want to be too harsh on him, but it isn’t hard to understand why Ange has opted to play midfielder Archie Gray at centre back over him.
Still no sign of Richarlison or Destiny Udogie this pre-season. Both have travelled with the squad on the tour, but we are led to believe they are still training individually and not with the squad. If neither are back before the Bayern Munich game next Saturday it looks like those 2 places in the travelling squad could have been filled better.
Spurs again lifting another pre-season trophy and are the J League World Challenge Champions (what a trophy). I’m sure rival fans will be quick to mock and it is obviously not something to celebrate but it is better to win the game than not, purely because it is a game won. And hopefully we can turn winning a pre-season trophy into winning an actual trophy this season. We have work to do in the transfer market and on the training pitches for now though.