Spurs Pre-season Tour Final: Key Takeaways
Written by Noah J.N. https://x.com/NoahJN_SD?s=20
Tottenham Hotspur finished their pre-season tour across the world unbeaten, winning all three of their matches and capping it off with a Sydney Super Cup Final victory against Premier League rivals Chelsea. Spurs arrived in New Zealand just over a week ago and began the tour with a 2-0 win over A-League champions Auckland FC, before beating four-time A-League winners Sydney FC on penalties a few days later. After a demanding week of training, reconditioning and friendlies, the Chelsea clash offered a proper test of Roberto De Zerbi’s squad heading into the new season. Here is what Spurs fans were able to take away from the Sydney Finale.
Antonín Kinský played his heart out. He made multiple saves that nobody would have blamed him for missing and played a massive role in putting Spurs in a winning position. The goalkeeper showed just how valuable he is with the ball at his feet and looked every bit like De Zerbi’s ideal ball‑playing goalkeeper. The Italian coach has said the keeper needs to improve in the build-up, but it is clear he has the tools to get to where he will need to be. It has been a fantastic pre-season for the Czech shot-stopper, and his confidence going into the campaign should be at an all-time high.
Dominic Solanke was largely a ghost in the first half. The England striker only managed a few touches before coming off at the interval, and it was a flat display overall. He never quite found the right positions to get on the end of crosses and made little impact beyond his usual pressing. It was the sort of game that will only strengthen De Zerbi’s desire for a striker who can influence matches in exactly the way he wants.
Archie Gray captained the side once again and delivered another calm, composed performance. He started the match at right-back before moving into his more natural role in midfield later on. The 20‑year‑old ended up playing the full 90 minutes, and his positional flexibility could be a fantastic asset for De Zerbi as the season gets underway.
Kevin Danso had a cameo to forget. The Austrian centre-back lasted only three minutes after replacing new signing Jan Paul van Hecke at half-time. Pressed by Chelsea striker João Pedro, Danso tried to let a pass roll across his body to shield the ball and turn, but misjudged it badly. Pedro burst past him and raced through on goal, only to be hauled down by Danso, who was shown a straight red card. Spurs still went on to win the match, but it was a hugely frustrating moment for De Zerbi, who would simply have wanted to see his structure and ideas tested against a Premier League rival.
Jan Paul van Hecke, by contrast, produced a strong first appearance for the club. The Dutch defender looked composed on the ball and picked out some nice front‑footed passes in the opposition’s half that De Zerbi will have enjoyed. He might have done more to make Jamie Gittens’ cross harder to attack for Chelsea’s equaliser, but overall it was an encouraging showing. A partnership of Van Hecke and Micky van de Ven, who was rested for this one, should be fun to watch.
Andy Robertson endured a tougher afternoon. The left-back had a few defensive lapses that could easily have cost Spurs multiple goals. Estevão’s header to level the game came largely from Robertson switching off, as he didn’t react to the danger quickly enough and allowed the Chelsea winger to attack the ball. He’ll be keen to shake off those moments and leave them behind in pre-season.
Sandro Tonali grabbed his first goal in a Tottenham shirt with a strike from outside the box, set up by a sharp, cutting run inside from Manor Solomon. Once again, the Italian was instrumental in midfield and showed just how important he can be for Spurs this season. The club have spent big on their new midfield duo, and Tonali continues to look every bit the player they paid for.
Mathys Tel once again showed how dangerous he can be on the ball. His decision-making is still a work in progress, but his athleticism and talent are obvious. The Frenchman found himself in several dangerous positions and almost scored a solo effort after weaving through multiple Chelsea defenders to get right in front of the goalkeeper.
Overall, it was a very positive showing from Spurs. De Zerbi will be proud of his side for finding a way to win despite playing the entire second half with ten men. Tottenham now look to build on this performance with a friendly against La Liga side Getafe on Saturday, August 8, where there is hope we could see more names return to action, including Mateus Fernandes, James Maddison, Mohammed Kudus and Micky van de Ven.
