Kyle Naughton savoured every moment in Tottenham’s 3-1 victory over Reading on Sunday, and is ready to fill the gap left by injured left-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto. The replacement full-back, signed from Sheffield United in a deal that also welcomed Kyle Walker to the club, hopes to prove he is more than capable for first-team action as he looks set to line up in the starting XI against Lazio on Thursday.
New signing Gylfi Sigurdsson was pleased with the way Spurs dictated play during their victory at Reading. The Icelandic midfielder had a shot cleared off the line and was pivotal in the build up leading to Jermain Defoe’s first goal, and now sights are set on their midweek battle against Lazio.
Sigurdsson said: “[Lazio] are a good team, it’s great to play in Europe and we’re looking forward to that game, trying to get off to a good start.”
After securing his first victory as Spurs manager, Andre Villas-Boas has set the bar high for his team in the Europa League. The manager has had previous experience in the competition, when he guided Porto to Europa League success in 2011. Tottenham begin their campaign against Italian side Lazio, before taking on Panathinaikos and Maribor later this year, and will be targeting first place in their group.
Villas-Boas said: “We want to do something special in this competition, and if we can win a trophy that represents a lot for Tottenham Hotspur’s history as well”.
Highly-rated winger Gareth Bale became an overnight European superstar following impressive back-to-back displays against Inter Milan in 2010, and hasn’t slowed down since. After Catalan giants Barcelona indicated their interest in him last season, Bale has been closely linked with a string of European sides vying for his signature. Despite losing out to a Champions League spot after Chelsea’s successful victory in Munich last season, and the loss of Harry Redknapp, Bale has dismissed talk of a move to Europe. Having been rewarded with a four-year deal at the end of last season, Bale wishes to help build on Tottenham’s European presence and guide them to a successful future.
Brad Friedel has reported that there is no bad blood between him and new signing Hugo Lloris for the No. 1 jersey. With a steady string of games this campaign, there will be plenty of opportunities for both goalkeepers to feature, and he insists their competition for position is “healthy”.
Whilst there may be hot competition between two of Tottenham’s goalkeepers, Heurelho Gomes feels he no longer sees his future at the club. The 31-year-old has been told he will be allowed to leave on loan during the January transfer window, after failing to make a single appearance last season.
image: © wonker
James Hartnett
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A recent journalism graduate, James is a firm believer in providing unique perspectives on sports news. An experienced sports blogger, freelancer and sub-editor, he specialises in football news and in-depth analysis. A lifelong Spurs fan, he can’t wait for their potential to be unlocked next season.
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