It’s hard to think of a more defeatist announcement than the one that tweeted Tottenham’s official Twitter account before the season-opening game against Manchester City.
"No matter what happens, we will give our maximum" was written there, and it was only missing that they would add "even if we get in the head, you will know we tried".
While Manchester City came into this season as the reigning champions who added to their wonderful squad Jack Grillish for a record £ 100million, Tottenham came into this season as a team that does not know what to demand of itself.
She has a great stadium, also a supportive crowd, but the purchase she made was modest and for today's game she lined up with a new coach, Nono Aparito Santo who came from Wolves, and without her biggest star Harry Kane.
According to officials, the King of Roosters' goal remains out of the squad due to poor playing ability, but according to logical factors, the reason for the absence is an expected transfer, perhaps even to today's rival Manchester City.
With these feelings of inferiority, the squad that includes Oliver Skip and Jaft Tanga, Tottenham lined up for the game.
City may have missed Phil Foden and Kevin de Bruyne who started the game on the bench, but with Grillish, Sterling, Gonduane and other stars in Pep Guardiola's squad it seemed the host's only option was to really give the maximum and hope for the best.
Captain Hugo Loris addressed this before the game when he said "sometimes it is better to take a step back to get stronger" and at least according to the game today that is exactly what happened.
Tottenham were aggressive and organized and prevented the champion from getting into real situations near the goal of the French goalkeeper.
On the other side, the chances were better, and if not for Gonduan's save from the goal line for the host break, it would have been reduced to a 0: 1 advantage.
Harry Kane's disadvantage stripped Tottenham of about half of their goals, but they were still left with the man in charge of most of the second half.
Jung Min-sun, who scored a personal best of 17 goals last year, opened his season count with a fine personal move in the 55th minute and gave Tottenham the 0-1.
Stephen Brahwin was close to doubling that advantage a few minutes later, but missed a good opportunity against Ederson.
Guardiola sent de Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus to the pitch but it was clear that what the champion lacked most of all was a wide striker who would finish the beautiful moves with a ball in the net.
Harry Kane can fit, what's more, Tottenham are currently doing well without him, and without expectations.
De Bruyne is having a hard time, today in London, Reuters
Full-time in north London !!
What a performance !!!
🤩
+ 🔥 🔥 pic.twitter.com/vJbZkJkdxJ
- Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) August 15, 2021
More today:
West Ham United started the season from the point where they finished the previous one.
David Moyes' exciting team fell behind 1: 2 against Newcastle, but a great second half with goals from Said Benharma, Thomas Sozek and Mikael Antonio turned the score around and gave the Hammers a 2: 4 victory.
West Ham players celebrate, today in Newcastle,