Tottenham Hotspur 2 and 0 after surviving at Wolves 0-1
By Aaron Coe
The Wolverhampton Wanderers were ready for the return of former coach Nuno Espirito Santo and Tottenham Hotspur, yet the Spurs hung on and took all three points 0-1.
We wondered aloud if the intensity and effort Tottenham Hotspur showed in the first match of the season against Manchester City could continue. The Spurs were not as relentless as they were the week before against Manchester City but the Lilywhites did enough to limit the big chances and take all three points to start the season 2-0 for the first time since 2018-19.
Wolves set the tone against Spurs
It was obvious from the off that Wolverhampton wanted to attack Tottenham with speed. For the second match in a row Japhet Tanganga and Davinson Sanchez on the right side of the Lilywhite’s defense was the target. As the Wolves hit the ball again and again out to Adama Traore to work on the Spurs defense.
Whereas last week Tanganga was able to get physical with Jack Grealish and Raheem Sterling, it was Traore getting physical with Tanganga and the Spurs. The Spanish attacker was able to find space early and often. The Wolves are a much more expansive team than Manchester City and use that width and space to create one-on-one opportunities.
Wolverhampton dominated the first seven minutes until Tottenham finally had one little piece of possession. Steven Bergwijn picked up the ball in the defensive half and did as he did much of the day, tried to push and drive the ball with the dribble.
However, as was also the case most of the day for Tottenham, Bergwijn’s pass to Lucas Moura was thwarted by a strong challenge and an alert Wolves defense. Then almost out of nothing, Dele Alli and the Spurs made something happen.
Tottenham score early against the flow
It was really only the second time Tottenham had the ball with any real possession and it came from an unexpected Wolves mistake.
The Wolves had won the ball back from Tottenham off a throw-in and had gotten the ball to Ruben Neves. The Portuguese midfielder was ever-present for the Wanderers on the day and had a few shots just not quite find the mark.
In this instance, however, it was Neves making possibly his only poor pass of the match as he tried to thread the ball up-pitch between Tottenham lines, only to be intercepted by Sergio Reguilón. The Spurs fullback took possession of the ball, and immediately played it up to Bergwijn, and ran forward to collect the one-two pass off the Dutch.
From here Reguilón showed a real eye for the pass as he pushed a nice through ball into the box toward a diagonally darting Dele Alli. As Alli got a touch on the ball – just as we had told in our pre-match reporting – Wolves keeper Jose Sa came off his line to try and win possession.
Dele dangled his back leg just enough to ensure Sa took him out and Stuart Atwell blew for the penalty. Despite the complaints from the Wolves players and a VAR check, the call stood and Dele then converted the penalty sending Sa the wrong way for the 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur lead.
Less than 10 minutes into the match, Tottenham had the lead, the question was could they keep it. Unfortunately for Spurs faithful, much like we saw last season, Tottenham tended to drop deep far too quickly and was forced into a lot of defending.