On this day in 2023, Tottenham Hotspur beat Fulham 2-0 to make it seven wins and two draws – 23 points - in Ange Postecoglu’s first nine league games in charge of the club, to make him the first manager in Premier League history to get that many points from his first nine games.
For that game, Ange opted for a line up of: Vicario; Porro, Romero, van de Ven, Udogie; Sarr, Højbjerg; Kulusevski, Maddison, Richarlison; Son.
Whilst on the face of it, not too much has changed – only Højbjerg is no longer at the club, and that is the tried and trusted back four and goalkeeper under Ange. However, the positions of the attack have changed a bit, even though they are all at the same club.
Kulusevski does not play on the wing anymore, instead playing as one of two number eights. Maddison has had a slightly lower scaled tweak, playing as the other eight, rather than as a number ten like he was there.
Whilst Richarlison is frequently not available to play in any case, not long after this game, he was moved up front, swapping with Son who moved out on the left hand side.
Spurs opened the lead through a trademark curling effort from Son nine minutes before the half time interval. Nine minutes after it, Maddison made it 2-0 with a finish inside the box, after the intense pressing caught Calvin Bassey on the ball in a dangerous areas. Very much a typical goal of the early season form last year.
Emerson, Skipp, Johnson, Lo Celso and Veliz were the five players to come off the bench. Three of those players were sold this summer, and another has been loaned out. Johnson being on the bench is another thing that has changed, with the Welsh winger a guaranteed starter these days.
Forster, Dier, Phillips and Gil were unused subs. Two players loaned out, a permanent sale, and a back up goalkeeper. Plenty of change.
In the game, Spurs largely dominated, having 56% of the ball despite being ahead for over 50 minutes, as well as 1.53 expected goals. They did allow a late flurry from Fulham, however, with Vicario having to show his exceptional early season form once again to deny Raul Jimenez in the closing stages of the game.
Still, it was definitely a good performance, and certainly far, far better than what was served up in the return game at Craven Cottage in March. A good way to sum up the first part and last part of the 23/24 season, really.