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Watching Tottenham Hotspur’s 4-1 defeat to their bitter rivals in the Premier League on Sunday made it clear where Thomas Frank’s priorities need to be moving forward.

Whilst you could look at that loss and suggest that they need to improve defensively, which would be a fair comment after they conceded four goals, it is in possession where they really need to improve.

xG

11.0

17th

Non-penalty xG

11.0

16th

Progressive passes

413

12th

Shots

110

19th

Shots on target

40

15th

Average shot distance

15.6 yards

17th

As you can see in the table above, Spurs are one of the worst teams in the Premier League at progressing play with passes, creating shooting opportunities, and creating high-quality chances.

The Lilywhites ended the match against Arsenal with three shots on goal and 0.07 xG, per Sofascore, with their goal coming from Richarlison’s stunning long-range lob over David Raya.

Tottenham’s struggles at the top end of the pitch explain why the club are reportedly considering a move to sign Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo.

The Ghana international has a £65m release clause that can be activated at the start of the January transfer window, and Spurs are one of the teams vying for his signature.

How Antoine Semenyo could solve Tottenham's attacking problems

Whilst a lot of Tottenham’s problems could come down to coaching issues, with how players are asked to play, the team selections, and the patterns that are or are not coached in training, having a top talent in the final third can make up for some coaching problems.

Semenyo is the kind of forward who can create things for himself with his incredible speed, power, ball control, and ability in front of goal when he gets near the opposition’s box.

The former Bristol City striker’s goal against Liverpool at Anfield earlier this season is the perfect example of the kind of quality that he could bring to North London in the second half of the campaign.

With Tottenham’s lack of progressive passing and high-quality chances this season, having a player who has runs and goals like that in his locker would be invaluable for Frank.

That strike against Liverpool was also not a flash in the pan for the versatile attacker, who can play out wide or through the middle, because he has been in impressive form in the Premier League this term.

xG

4.58

Top 1%

Goals

6

Top 1%

Shots

23

Top 10%

Shots on target

14

Top 1%

Assists

3

Top 6%

Successful dribbles

21

Top 5%

Touches in the opposition’s box

45

Top 12%

As you can see in the table above, Semenyo has been one of the most productive wingers in the division for Bournemouth this season, with more goals than any other winger in the league.

These statistics, and the nature of his goal against Liverpool in particular, suggest that signing the Cherries star would go a long way to solving some of the attacking issues that Frank’s side have.

Therefore, Spurs should push hard to win the race for his services by activating his release clause at the start of the January transfer window and trying their hardest to convince him that a move to North London is the best next step in his career.

£65m, though, would make him the club’s joint-record signing alongside Dominic Solanke, who also came from Bournemouth, so it would take a big financial commitment from the Lilywhites.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

In order to make a move for the 25-year-old star viable, sporting director Fabio Paratici should look to ruthlessly sell some of the club’s current players to fund a transfer for Semenyo.

One of the sellable assets who should be cashed in on by Paratici to create funds for a swoop for the Cherries sensation in January is right-back Pedro Porro.

Why Spurs should sell Pedro Porro

Ahead of the summer transfer window, CaughtOffside reported that the Spain international was attracting interest from Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City.

It was claimed that Spurs were not interested in selling the full-back at the time, which was in May, but that they would have changed their tune if an offer of around £57m came across their desk.

Whilst Porro ultimately remained in North London, that report in the summer shows that there are some top clubs across Europe who would be interested in him if he became available, although it remains to be seen if any of them would pay the £57m price tag.

The Spaniard attracted interest from those teams after a return of four goals and nine assists in 51 appearances in all competitions for Spurs in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore, but his form this season has left a lot to be desired.

Polish journalist Michał Okoński described his crosses into the box as a “disaster” earlier this month, and it is hard to disagree with that assessment when you consider that he has lost possession 222 times and delivered one assist in 12 Premier League games, per Sofascore.

Appearances

33

12

Possession lost per game

17.5

18.5

Key passes per game

1.7

1.2

Big chances created

10

2

Assists

6

1

Pass accuracy

76%

73%

Cross accuracy

31%

17%

As you can see in the table above, the Spain international’s use of the ball has regressed since the end of the 2024/25 campaign. He is currently giving the ball away more frequently whilst creating less for his team.

Porro has been far too wasteful with the ball at his feet at right-back for Tottenham. That is evident in his regressing creative stats, but it is also evident in that he has made four errors leading to shots for the opposition in the Premier League, twice as many as he made in 33 matches last season.

As well as his struggles on the ball, the former Sporting star has gone from averaging 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game last season in the Premier League to averaging just 1.7 per match in the current campaign, per Sofascore.

These statistics show that Porro has regressed in and out of possession at right-back for the Lilywhites, which is why it could be the right time for Paratici to cash in on him in January, amid interest from City, Barcelona, and Bayern, to avoid his value dwindling if his form does not improve.

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Thomas Frank has numerous glaring errors he needs to address at Tottenham Hotspur after the Arsenal defeat.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 24, 2025

Whilst it remains to be seen how much teams would be willing to pay for him, any fee in the region of the quoted £57m would go a long way to funding a deal for Semenyo, who has a £65m release clause.

Liverpool scouts have just been spotted keeping an eye on a defensive star in the Champions League, according to recent reports, as they set their sights on a transfer battle against Arsenal.

The Reds’ defensive frailties were on show once again against Manchester City at the Etihad, and they’re fortunate that it’s Virgil van Dijk’s disallowed goal which has stolen the headlines. For the umpteenth time this season, the champions came undone all too easily as Pep Guardiola eased to a 3-0 victory in his 1000th game as a manager.

Arne Slot, whilst reflecting on the defeat, took the time to have his say on Van Dijk’s disallowed header – telling reporters that he believes Andy Robertson was not interfering with Gianluigi Donnarumma’s view.

PGMOL chief refereeing officer Howard Webb has since issued a response to Liverpool’s complaints, saying that it was “not unreasonable” to rule Van Dijk’s effort out on Sunday afternoon.

Alas, as the argument continues, Liverpool remain in a difficult position and as low as eighth in the Premier League. No one saw it coming from a side who comfortably strode towards the title last season, but Slot must now find a permanent solution.

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Liverpool have fallen by the wayside under Arne Slot’s leadership this season.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 12, 2025

Whether that means returning to the transfer market is the big question, especially in search of defensive reinforcements.

Liverpool and Arsenal scouts watching Wilfried Singo

As reported by Turkish outlet Sabah, Liverpool scouts were spotted watching Singo in Galatasaray’s dominant 3-0 win against Ajax in the Champions League last week.

The Gunners also had officials present to check on the right-back’s progress as they seek support for Jurrien Timber, with Ben White’s injury issues making him an unreliable deputy for the Dutchman.

And the Ivorian played his part as his side kept a clean sheet and made it three wins from four Champions League games, in a run of form that includes a win against Liverpool.

The Reds felt Singo’s quality in full as he kept Cody Gakpo quiet down their left-hand side and Galatasaray held on to secure a famous 1-0 victory at the end of September.

Singo enjoyed an excellent game against the Reds, losing possession just once, making four recoveries and winning over half of his aerial duels. Gakpo, meanwhile, was limited to just three touches in the Galatasaray box and made just one pass into the final third.

The 24-year-old has been on the rise for a few years now and interest from both Arsenal and Liverpool should come as little surprise. Described as “intelligent” by former AS Monaco teammate Thilo Kehrer, Singo could be destined for the Premier League in 2026 in what would be the biggest move of his career so far.

Liverpool's "generational" Doku regen is destined to take the #11 from Salah

England captain Harry Kane has paid his respects on Remembrance Sunday with a heartfelt tribute as ceremonies take place across the United Kingdom. The Bayern Munich striker took to social media to post a classy message in honour of those who have died in wars around the world, with a minute's silence to be observed across Premier League and Women's Super League fixtures.

• People gather across the UK to pay respects on Remembrance Sunday

  Each year people across the UK come together to remember those who have fallen in conflicts across the world. Ceremonies take place on the second Sunday of November, which is known as Remembrance Sunday.

  On their website, The Royal British Legion says: "Remembrance Sunday is a national opportunity to remember the service and sacrifice of all those that have defended our freedoms and protected our way of life. We remember the Armed Forces, and their families, from Britain and the Commonwealth, the vital role played by the emergency services and those who have lost their lives as a result of conflict or terrorism."

  King Charles III and other senior royals and political leaders are gathering for the national memorial service at the Cenotaph in central London on Sunday. Some 10,000 armed forces veterans will take part in the Royal British Legion's march past Whitehall, alongside around 20 World War Two veterans.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  England captain Kane posts classy message to those who have died

  And ahead of the Cenotaph Parade, England skipper Kane has issued a heartfelt message on social media. 

  In a post on Instagram, the Three Lions forward wrote: "Today we honour and respect those who sacrificed themselves for our country and future. I’m proud today and always to be an ambassador for the Tommy Club, supporting our veterans in so many amazing ways. Lest we forget. We will remember them."

  On their website, The Tommy Club describes itself as: "The Tommy Club is an annual charity subscription to support some of the nation’s most vulnerable veterans. There has never been a more important time for us to commit our support to ex-military personnel. Ex-service men and women will receive support from funds raised by members. The Tommy Club raises funds for the various divisions of Royal British Legion Industries whilst offering its Champions exclusive opportunities, content and more."

• AFP
  

  Minute's silence will be held across Premier League and WSL fixtures

  To honour those who have died, a minute’s silence will also be held across Premier League and Women’s Super League fixtures on Sunday.

  Ahead of their game against Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City have confirmed their plans to honour Remembrance Sunday, saying: "Prior to the match, a service will take place in the Club’s Memorial Garden, where Mike Summerbee will lay a wreath alongside members of the Former Players Association and the Club’s Chaplain.

  "Then, ahead of kick-off, Manager Pep Guardiola will lay a wreath pitch side followed by a performance of the Last Post and a minute’s silence, observed by all in attendance.

  "All our Men’s First Team will wear a poppy on their shirts, and those worn by City players during the game will be donated and auctioned via Match Worn Shirt, with proceeds going to the Royal British Legion to raise money for the charity; as will the shirts worn by City players during last weekend’s home fixture against Bournemouth."

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• Kane to return home after being named in England squad for November games

  Bayern forward Kane will return home next week after being included in England’s squad for their World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania on Thursday, 13 November and Sunday, 16 November respectively.

  They are the Three Lions’ final two competitive games before the 2026 World Cup, with Thomas Tuchel’s men having already secured their place at next summer’s tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

  England are currently top of Group K after winning all six of their qualifiers so far, booking their place at the World Cup after defeating Latvia 5-0 on 14 October. Kane netted a brace while Anthony Gordon and Eberechi Eze scored either side of an own goal from Latvia’s Maksims Tonisevs at the Daugava Stadium in Riga.

A fairly low-profile tri-series in Zimbabwe continues to bring a number of high moments for Ish Sodhi. In New Zealand’s opening game, he made his 200th international appearance and then he marked his 201st appearance by becoming the third player to 150 wickets in men’s T20Is after Tim Southee and Rashid Khan. Along the way, Sodhi, 32, bagged his career-best T20I figures of 4 for 12 against Zimbabwe in the lead-up to the final against South Africa.Sodhi is uncontracted – young legspinner Adithya Ashok pipped him and earned his maiden deal – but he certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed by new coach Rob Walter. In the final, Sodhi is set to tick off another landmark: New Zealand’s most capped T20I player. He’s currently level with Southee on 126 T20Is.Related

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A numbers man, Sodhi is savouring every high. “It’s really nice. I’m really proud of the achievement. To get 150 wickets in a format for your country, obviously you have to play for a long period of time to be able to do that. It’s something I’m really proud of and hopefully there’s a lot more on the bank.”On Thursday, Sodhi also took a moment to reflect on his early years. Born in India, Sodhi moved to Auckland with his parents when he was a child. After impressing Daniel Vettori during an Auckland playing trial he broke into the New Zealand squad when he was 20. He has since become a key player for New Zealand, especially in white-ball cricket.”It has been an incredible journey,” Sodhi said. “I think something came out of the other, I think I debuted in 2013. I think my first ODI was here in Harare. It’s nice to be here and still being able to perform for New Zealand. Hopefully it’s something I can still do for a time to come.”Contracted or not, Sodhi is eager to play for New Zealand and win games for them. Having been thrown a lifeline by Walter, Sodhi could form a potent partnership with captain Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell as New Zealand tune up for the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.”There’s always incentive to win games for your country, I like playing international cricket,” Sodhi said. “Growing up, it’s the only thing I ever wanted to do and I think it’s probably the same for all the guys that are in there now. International cricket is really special. You pop the fern on, certainly things you dreamed of in the backyard growing up playing. Any game for New Zealand, there’s always motivation out there to be playing your best.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The 2024 T20 World Cup in the Caribbean was a forgettable one for Sodhi and New Zealand. In spin-friendly conditions, Sodhi sat out three of New Zealand’s four games, but in the lead-up to the next World Cup, he’s trying to reinvent himself. On Thursday, he fronted up to bowl in the powerplay – after Zimbabwe had run away to 21 for 0 – and claimed figures of 2-0-5-3 during this phase. Sodhi had also operated in the powerplay against South Africa in New Zealand’s series opener. This tri-series is the first time since 2021 that Sodhi has bowled in the powerplay in T20Is and it’s a role he relishes playing for the Black Caps.”It’s quite a new role for me and I haven’t bowled a lot in the powerplay in my career,” Sodhi said. “So, this is a really strong New Zealand side nowadays, so trying to get into the side and almost have to learn to be able to bowl in the powerplay. So, it’s really nice it could come off as it is relatively a new role. I’m trying to play for New Zealand and yeah to get some wickets was quite pleasing and it shows me I can do it at this level and yeah something I want to keep building.”Sodhi also delivered a glowing appraisal of Tim Seifert, who is currently the leading run-getter in the tri-series, with 166 runs in four innings at a strike rate of 145.61. Sodhi believes that Seifert has become a more versatile and dangerous batter after playing franchise T20 cricket around the world. In the lead-up to the tri-series, Seifert was part of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL and San Francisco Unicorns in the MLC, and his next franchise assignment is with CPL champions St Lucia Kings.”Yeah, look Seife is incredible,” Sodhi said. “I’ve sort of seen him come through when he was 18 years old playing cricket in all the districts he came through. A lot of talent, hit the ball really nice and cleanly. But I think the product of franchise cricket that’s made him such a good player is that he’s been able to play on surfaces that aren’t actually that great for batting.”If you look at that surface out there, it wasn’t the truest of surfaces but to score at the rate that he did shows great growth in his game. It shows that he’s rallied around a lot of great players all around the world in the franchise tournaments that he’s played and it’s making him a lot better player. It’s a huge asset for New Zealand cricket the way that he’s playing and he’s still so young.”The way he’s batting is showing a lot of leadership. He’s leading from the front and it’s great to see him being in my shoes having seen him come through when he was an 18, 19-year-old. It’s brilliant to see.”

Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues have had a quiet World Cup so far. India can’t afford for it to stay that way

Vishal Dikshit10-Oct-2025India are approaching the halfway mark of their Women’s World Cup campaign and their performances have not lived up to the promise they displayed in the lead up to the tournament. They haven’t come close to playing the perfect game, and Australia await on Sunday.India’s most severe problem is that their star-studded top five has been reduced to rubble and their innings has needed a lower-order rescue in all three games. They managed to recover well enough to win their first two matches but fell short against their toughest opponents yet, South Africa.The trend in this tournament has been for most teams to lose five or six wickets by around 25 overs, but India’s struggle stands out because none of their senior trio of Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues has made a half-century.When compared to the other seven teams at the World Cup, India’s top five averages 23.13, lower than all the other serious semi-finalist contenders England, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. Among teams that have played at least two games, India are the only ones without a 50-plus score from their top five. It terms of run rate, India’s top five is third from the bottom.Related

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During the previous game against South Africa, Mandhana broke a 28-year record held by Belinda Clark and is on track to become the first woman to score 1000 ODI runs in a year. She has eight hundreds since the start of 2024; the most recent of those – 125 off 63 balls against Australia last month – was the second fastest in the format.In the World Cup, however, she has made only 8, 23, and 23 so far. What was hard to believe was that her scratchiest innings – against South Africa – came on the flattest pitch India have played on to date. She was beaten frequently in Visakhapatnam and struggled against the swing of Marizanne Kapp before eventually holing out against left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba.It would have been even harder to believe for the Indian camp because in their two training sessions in Visakhapatnam, Mandhana batted like she did during that century against Australia: taking apart the swing of Renuka Singh, middling aerial shots against anyone who bowled to her, and shuffling around her crease to hit anywhere she wanted to.Jemimah Rodrigues has fallen to left-arm spin in all three games•ICC/Getty ImagesMandhana’s close friend Rodrigues was not far behind before this World Cup. She scored both of her ODI centuries in 2025 and her strike rate in a year was more than a run a ball for the first time. She had found success at No. 5, a position given to her only in 2023 after she spent her early years in the top order.To be fair to Rodrigues, the first delivery she faced in her maiden ODI World Cup is a contender for the ball of the tournament: Sri Lanka’s left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera used drift and turn from around the wicket to hit off stump. Rodrigues, however, fell to left-arm spin in India’s next two games, too. She was lbw to Pakistan’s Nashra Sandhu and lbw to South Africa’s Chloe Tyron, missing the sweep on both occasions. Her highest score so far is 32 off 37 against Pakistan, but she might have not even got that far had Diana Baig not overstepped when she was on 2.Harmanpreet hasn’t had a magical year so far, but she’s the sort of batter who can play a blinder out of nowhere, especially against India’s next opponents Australia. She played a cameo against Sri Lanka when India needed more, struggled for rhythm against Pakistan, and got totally stuck against South Africa, crawling to 9 off 23 before mistiming an on-the-up push to point that drew instant criticism from Anjum Chopra for getting through the shot too early against the left-arm spin of Tyron.You can bet on Harmanpreet raising her game against Australia, though, especially on the biggest stages. After her match-winning 171 not out in the 2017 World Cup semi-final, she nearly took India to the gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, nearly secured a place in the 2023 T20 World Cup final, and ran them close in the 2024 T20 World Cup, too.Harmanpreet had hoped that the WPL, now three seasons old, would prepare India’s lower order to handle crunch situations better than they have in the past. The previous three games have proved that India’s Nos. 6 to 9 can dig the team out of a deep hole. The onus is now on Mandhana, Harmanpreet and Rodrigues to ensure they don’t find themselves in one, as the race to the semi-finals heats up with tough fixtures against Australia and then England.

The crew gets together to answer questions like why is Shami not being picked, is he better than any current fast bowler in the side, how can he make a comeback, and more

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Nov-2025Why has Mohammed Shami – one of India’s top fast bowlers – been sidelined? Join Dustin Silgardo, Sidharth Monga, and Karthik Krishnaswamy as they dive deep into Shami’s legendary career, the chatter around his selection, and what makes him unique in Indian cricket. Hear untold stories from his journey, data-driven analysis, and the inside track on Indian fast bowling with banter and perspective.