Tottenham: Three things we learned from Sydney FC win as Spurs prepare for Chelsea
Tottenham were left frustrated after being held to a 1-1 draw by Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium on Wednesday.
Spurs dominated the first half and took the lead in the 29th minute after Mathys Tel struck a superb right-footed free-kick from the edge of the box.
Sydney had struggled to impose themselves in the final third but were handed a route back into the game in the second half after substitute Kota Takai’s interception fell kindly for Takahiro Sekine to finish.
Tottenham wasted several chances to win the game in regulation time, but Dane Scarlett struck the decisive penalty in the shootout to ensure they took victory in their opening fixture of the Sydney Super Cup.
Tel continues productive start to pre-season
Opportunities were few and far between for Tel last season, and his Spurs future was in doubt around the turn of the year.
De Zerbi, though, appears to value the Frenchman’s directness and ability to get into shooting positions.
Tel linked up well with versatile youngster Rio Kyerematen and should have scored when found free by Manor Solomon inside the box.
His free-kick capped a daring performance that encapsulated Spurs’ front-footed approach and he displayed his quality in a game that lacked finesse for large parts.
Though Luca Williams-Barnett impressed off the bench, striking the crossbar with a fierce left-footed effort, Tel’s absence was notable in the second half as Spurs struggled to threaten consistently.
Celebration: Mathys Tel gave Tottenham the lead over Sydney FC with an excellent free-kick
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Spurs struggle to stamp their authority
Keen to avoid a repeat of last season’s injury crisis, De Zerbi has been careful to manage the minutes of several key first-team players at the start of pre-season.
Mateus Fernandes, Jan Paul van Hecke, James Maddison and Destiny Udogie were among the players to watch from the stands as Spurs faltered after being pegged back by Sydney.
Dominic Solanke and Micky van de Ven were also absent, and Spurs struggled to make their dominance count as a bright start soon gave way to a frustrating and error-strewn display in the final third.
Andy Robertson’s introduction from the bench elevated Spurs’ performance and they should have scored twice from his deliveries into the box.
Robertson’s cameo, alongside the introduction of Sandro Tonali, highlighted the step up in quality between Spurs’ first team and the rest of the squad.
De Zerbi will hope that he can call upon a few more senior players when his side face Chelsea this weekend.
Surprise start: Lucas Bergvall has asked to leave Spurs this summer
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De Zerbi wants Bergvall to stay
Bergvall wants to leave Spurs in search of regular minutes in his preferred position as a No8 and has interest from Nottingham Forest and Newcastle.
De Zerbi admitted at full-time against Sydney that he could not guarantee the Swedish international the game time he was after and said he would not stand in his way if the club received a suitable offer.
“The situation is clear, he wants space and to play in a double pivot but I cannot give a guarantee to any player that he can play,” De Zerbi said.
“He was right that he wants to play as a central midfielder.
“I would like he stays, but if he doesn’t want I can do nothing. He will then have to speak to (chief executive) Vinai (Venkatesham) or (sporting director) Johan (Lange). He has to have the right spirit to stay.”
After splashing £185million to sign Fernandes and Tonali, Spurs need to trim their midfield options. Bergvall is likely to be the first out the door as the club look to recoup some of their huge summer outlay.
