Tottenham transfer news

JAMIE CARRAGHER tore into Tottenham for bottling a two-goal lead in the second half of their away trip to Premier League champions Manchester City.Dejan Kulusevski and Emerson Royal sent Spurs in at half-time with a healthy lead.

Tottenham surrendered a two-goal lead in the second halfCredit: Rex
Carragher says Spurs ‘bottled it’Credit: Sky Sports
For once, Arsenal fans would’ve been thanking their North London rivals for denying title rivals City points, with Pep Guardiola’s men trailing the Gunners by eight at that time.
Arsenal also hold a game in hand, and should they have won that IF Spurs did their job, the gap could’ve been extended to 11 points.
However, a second-half meltdown saw Spurs surrender their two-goal lead within eight minutes of the restart.
World Cup winner Julian Alvarez smashed home City’s first in the 51st before Erling Haaland ended his two-game goal drought in the 53rd.
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Mahrez then grabbed a goal of his own just after the hour mark to hand City the lead.
The Algerian wizard also added City’s fourth in added-time, putting the final nail in Spurs’ coffin.
And ex-Liverpool and England defender Carragher has slammed Antonio Conte’s men for bottling the game.
He said on Sky Sports: “You can call it naive, Spurs bottled it.”
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Carragher also tore into Tottenham’s defenders AND captain Hugo Lloris, who is the man in between the sticks.
Lloris has been shaky since returning from the World Cup and was beaten at his near post for Mahrez’s first.
Carragher added: “He [Conte] can never rely on his back three, or back five or goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet. I always feel like they’re going to concede a goal.
“He’s not going to change his tactics, this is what he does, he relies on a good strong base and having great attacking players on the counter-attack.
“He’s got those great attacking players, but his goalkeeper and defenders are nowhere near good enough for a Conte team to be successful, and that’s where they’ve got major problems.
“The goalkeeper at Tottenham right now, he’s been a good goalkeeper, but he has become a liability, they need a new goalkeeper for next season.
“Antonio Conte is talking about taking them further, getting top four or challenging for big honours.
“They need a new goalkeeper, need two centre-backs and a right wing-back and that’s not to come into the squad, that’s to play.”
On the other side of the dugout, Man City boss Guardiola called out his own fans.
Guardiola was unimpressed by their silence for 45 minutes.
On what’s missing at City at the moment, he said: “Passion, desire, to win from minute one.
“It’s the same for our spectators, our fans. They are so silent for 45 minutes.”
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Guardiola added: “I want my fans back. I want my fans back in here. Not my away fans – my away fans is the best.
“But my fans in here, we want support for every corner, their reaction and support, because we play, we cannot expect [to win] because Tottenham is one of the greatest opposition in how good they defend, how they are organised, how they make a build-up, how they link with Harry Kane, Kulusevski and Son, they make incredible switch of plays, the threat they have in every single moment is incredible.” More

PEP GUARDIOLA TURNED on his players and fans despite a dramatic 4-2 comeback victory over Spurs.The Manchester City boss believes his team have gone soft after winning four of the last five titles and said he needs his home support back as well.
The reigning champions got their title bid back on track following a 4-2 comeback victory against Tottenham, mainly thanks to a 12-minute blitz after the break.
Pep Guardiola launched an angry attack on Manchester City fans and playersCredit: Reuters
But City were staring down the barrel at a fourth defeat in 10 Premier League games at half-time.
That’s because Dejan Kulusevski and Emerson Royal struck at the end of the opening period to put Spurs 2-0 ahead.
And City were booed off.
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But whatever Guardiola said in the dressing room worked as his side turned the game around instantly thanks to goals from Julian Alvarez, Erling Haaland and Riyad Mahrez.
The Algeria star then made the points safe late on after a deft chip over Hugo Lloris.
Asked what his team were lacking Guardiola said: “Guts, passion, fire, desire to win from minute one. The same with our fans, they are silent for 45 minutes.
“We are far away from the team that we were. Not in terms of play, we played good in the first half, but here are many things in terms of competitiveness and what we have to do that we are far away.
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“We have to do it but everyone is relaxed. In the Premier League, no way.
“We have an opponent in Arsenal who have the fire. Two decades without winning the Premier League and every player knows they will be in history, like we felt when we won the first Premier League and broke all the records and went two times back-to-back.
“We have to have the fire inside. I am explaining the reality, everything is so comfortable, but opponents don’t wait.
“I don’t recognise my team, they (previously) had the passion and desire to run.”
City cut the gap at the top to Arsenal to five points with the win.
But Guardiola said: “We are far away from the team we had in previous seasons.
“Do you think this comeback will happen every time? It won’t. Do you think we are going to chase the gap to Arsenal the way we are playing? No way.
“I want a reaction from the players and staff. I do not want to be a ‘happy flowers team’.
“I want to beat Arsenal but if we play that way Arsenal will beat us.”
The Manchester City boss watched his team go two behind right on half-time through Dejan Kulusevski and Emerson Royal and were booed off at half-time.
Guardiola said: “They booed because we were losing but not because we played bad – we played good. Maybe it’s like our team.
“Maybe they are so comfortable winning four Premier Leagues in five years. And after we scored they react, but that is not the point.
“I want my fans back. My fans in here. Not my away fans, my away fans are the best.
“My fans here to support every corner, every action because we cannot expect. Tottenham is one of the toughest opponents I’ve ever faced.
So we could not expect to be 3-0 up after 30 minutes.”
City roared back through Julian Alvarez on 51 minutes, Erling Haaland two minutes later and then a brace from Riyah Mahrez in the 63rd and 90th minutes.
The result increased the pressure on Spurs boss Antonio Conte who has now seen his side lose three of their last four Premier League games.
Conte said: “We played a good game with personality, we put a lot of pressure on them. At the same time I’m disappointed because this is the first time in my career that my team conceded four goals in one half.

“When I tell you that we have to try to reduce the gap, the process has just started and it means that you have to improve tactically, technically the experience of this team.
“We conceded a goal in the second half then another after two minutes.
“Usually when this happens, you have to be calm and to find solutions to pass ten minutes and breathe and then play. We conceded the second goal quickly. 
“We were unlucky because after 2-2 we had a massive chance to score to go up. Instead we conceded another two goals.
“We need patience and we need time to create something important. On one side I’m really disappointed because we concede four goals.
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“We are conceding many more goals than last season. On the other side, with more attention and focus we are good because we played with personality and we created problems for Manchester City.
“These games are important to understand the difference between us and other top clubs. In this moment, we have a lot of difference but we are ready to continue to work and fight.” More

GARY LINEKER teased Tottenham fans by describing his former side as “Spursy” following their second half collapse against Manchester City.Antonio Conte’s side had a shock 2-0 lead at half time after two goals in quick succession just before the interval.
Gary Lineker teased Tottenham after their collapse at the EtihadCredit: BBC
Riyad Mahrez completed the turnaround for Manchester CityCredit: Alamy
Tottenham suffered a second defeat in the space of five daysCredit: Reuters
Firstly, Ederson’s poor pass was punished by Dejan Kulusevski, who scored his second goal in as many trips to City.
Spurs were in dreamland moments later when Ederson could only parry Harry Kane’s strike into the path of Emerson Royal.
And the Brazil international did the rest by heading into the open net.
But City staged a stunning second half comeback to close the gap on leaders Arsenal at the top.
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Julian Alvarez reduced the deficit after thumping home through a crowded area.
And then Erling Haaland ended his mini drought to bring Pep Guardiola’s men level.
Riyad Mahrez, who had been difference maker for City, then completed the turnaround when he stole the ball back and drilled past Hugo Lloris at his near post.
The ex-Leicester winger then sealed the points in stoppage-time with another smart finish over the Frenchman.
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It compounded a miserable five days for Spurs, who suffered a SEVENTH league defeat in 12.
And Lineker was first to make fun of the North London club.
On Twitter, he said: “Well, this has all gone a bit Spursy.”
The result leaves Tottenham six points behind the top four having played a game more than both Manchester United and Newcastle.
To make matters worse, they face Haaland and Co at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 5 February. More

MANCHESTER CITY players were booed off by their fans following their poor first half showing against Tottenham.The Premier League champions failed to take control of the game and went in at the break behind.

Manchester City players were booed off against TottenhamCredit: Reuters
Dejan Kulusevski was able to capitalise on poor play from goalkeeper Ederson and midfielder Rodri to give Spurs the lead.
And it got worse for City before the break as Emerson Royal headed the visitors into a two-goal lead.
At the half time whistle boos could be heard from the home fans.
Sky Sports pundit David Jones said: “They were booed off Micah, I can’t remember hearing that here.”
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Former Man City defender Micah Richards slammed the boos in his response as he suggested the team have done enough to earn more respect.
He replied: “No, that’s not acceptable. City have brought joy for years now.
“They won four leagues out of five.
“You can’t be booing.
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“I’m always with the fans but you can’t be booing the players like that.”
City and the club’s fans will be hoping to turn the score around after the break.
Arsenal however will be watching on and thanking their rivals for putting a dent in City’s title challenge. More

EDERSON made a howler to gift Tottenham the opener in their clash at the Etihad.The City stopper played a terrible pass that Rodri could only flick into the path of Dejan Kulusevski, who coolly swept home.

Ederson made a shocking mistake for the openerCredit: Getty
Dejan Kulusevski accepted the gift and put Spurs aheadCredit: EPA
The reigning champions had been playing some risky football around the back throughout the game, but got away with it on a couple occasions.
However, their luck ran out on the stroke of half-time when another loose pass was capitalised on by Spurs.

Having received the ball back from Nathan Ake, Ederson played a pass into Rodri just inside the City penalty area.
But the midfielder’s attempted clearance landed at the feet of Kulusevski.
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And just like he did on this ground 12 months ago, the Swede accepted the gift to slot past Ederson and put Tottenham ahead.
Things went from bad to worse just two minutes later for Pep Guardiola’s men too.
That’s because the North London side doubled their advantage.
But he owed plenty to Harry Kane, who’s hard work won the ball back inside the box and his powerful shot was too hot to handle for Ederson, who could only parry his effort.
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And Emerson Royal was on hand to head home into the empty net for his first ever Premier League goal.
Fortunately for City, they flew out of the blocks flying for the second half and were level within 10 minutes thanks to Julian Alvarez and Erling Haaland to make it 2-2 in quick succession. More