Tottenham Hotspur’s rollercoaster week in North London continued as both the men’s and women’s squads delivered contrasting narratives on the pitch, while off it, manager Thomas Frank grappled with squad depth and loan dilemmas. With the Premier League and Women’s Super League (WSL) campaigns heating up, Spurs fans were treated to drama, frustration, and a glimmer of hope—sometimes all at once.
Let’s start with the men’s side, who hosted Wolverhampton Wanderers at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on September 27, 2025. The expectation? A comfortable home win against a Wolves team that had yet to notch a single point this season. The reality? A messy 1-1 draw that left supporters wondering whether Spurs had let two points slip or rescued one at the death.
Thomas Frank, who took the reins in the summer and set about stamping his authority on a new-look squad, named a strong lineup with Djed Spence and Xavi Simons coming in for Wilson Odobert and Pedro Porro. The first half was largely dominated by the Lilywhites, with Mohammed Kudus coming closest to breaking the deadlock—his powerful header was brilliantly tipped onto the crossbar by Wolves’ keeper Sam Johnstone. Matt Doherty, a familiar face to Spurs fans, rattled the post for Wolves just before halftime, but both sides went into the break goalless.
Spurs’ attacking intent was on display, but so was their profligacy. Lucas Bergvall swung and missed at a golden opportunity, and Kudus had a goal rightly ruled out for offside. There was even a penalty shout when Joao Palhinha went down after contact from Marshall Munetsi, but VAR waved play on. “First half was good. We got into a lot of dangerous positions. We were clearly on top and in control,” Frank told BBC Sport.
The second half, however, saw the game flip on its head. Wolves made tactical changes, switching to a back three and bringing on Emmanuel Agbadou and Jackson Tchatchoua. The move paid off almost immediately. A corner was flicked on by Ladislav Krejci, and after a scramble, Santiago Bueno reacted quickest to tap home the opener. Spurs, suddenly on the back foot, looked disjointed and struggled to regain their earlier dominance.
Frank responded with a flurry of substitutions: Pedro Porro and Brennan Johnson replaced Spence and Bentancur, followed by late cameos for Pape Matar Sarr, Wilson Odobert, and Mathys Tel. But for all the changes, Spurs’ attack lacked cohesion. The crowd grew restless—would the home woes continue?
Then, in the dying embers of stoppage time, Mathys Tel’s underhit cross was nudged by Sarr to Palhinha at the edge of the area. The Portuguese midfielder kept his cool, threading a low shot through a sea of defenders and past Johnstone. The stadium erupted. “Top composure from Joao [Palhinha]. Great finish. We needed something special and we got that,” Frank reflected. Still, the 1-1 draw marked back-to-back home stalemates and underscored a worrying trend: Spurs have won just three of their last 12 Premier League home games in 2025, losing seven. “It is a problem that has lingered around Tottenham in recent years, the inability to kill off games where they are expected to dominate,” Frank admitted to football.london. Seven of Spurs’ 11 league points this season have come away from home—a contrast they must address if they hope to sustain a Champions League push.
Next up for the men’s team is a tricky Europa League trip to Bodo/Glimt, a fixture that will test both squad depth and Frank’s tactical flexibility. With James Maddison ruled out for the season, the need for reinforcements is pressing. That brings us to the club’s off-field concerns, particularly regarding academy graduate Mikey Moore. The England U19 international, who made 10 Premier League appearances last season, was loaned to Rangers to gain experience. However, with only two league starts and no full matches under his belt, Spurs are reportedly frustrated with his lack of playing time and are considering recalling him in January 2026. “Spurs do not believe Rangers can get the best from the teenager as Martin faces more pressure,” Football Insider reported. There’s even talk of a potential EFL Championship loan for Moore in the second half of the season, especially with the squad stretched across four competitions.
Meanwhile, the women’s team provided a welcome boost for the club’s faithful. On September 28, 2025, Tottenham Hotspur Women bounced back from a heavy 5-1 loss to Manchester City by defeating Leicester City 2-1 at King Power Stadium in the WSL. The victory marked the third time Spurs have won three of their first four games in the competition, propelling them to fourth in the table.
The match started brightly for Martin Ho’s side, whose high pressing forced an early error from Leicester’s Olivia McLoughlin. New signing Cathinka Tandberg was on hand to poke home the opener from close range. Just six minutes later, Olivia Holdt, making her first start since the opening day, latched onto an Eveliina Summanen pass and chipped the ball brilliantly over Leicester keeper Janina Leitzig. Holdt’s performance was outstanding—she scored with her only shot on target, registered an 83.3% passing accuracy in the final third, and completed six passes there, earning her player of the match honors.
Leicester’s Sam Tierney pulled one back before halftime, tapping in at the back post from a dangerous Hannah Cain cross. Cain, a constant threat for the hosts, had a shot blocked by Clare Hunt and was eventually substituted in the 73rd minute after appearing to be in discomfort following a challenge from Hunt. Despite Leicester’s late pressure, Spurs held firm to secure all three points.
The win was a testament to Tottenham’s resilience and tactical discipline. “Tottenham bounced back brilliantly from their first WSL defeat of the season,” noted BBC Sport. The result left Leicester languishing in eighth, with only one win so far. Both teams now look ahead to their next fixtures: Leicester host Everton, while Spurs welcome Brighton to Brisbane Road.
As the club juggles ambitions on multiple fronts, the challenge for Thomas Frank and his staff is clear—turn home frustration into fortress form, nurture young talents like Moore, and build on the women’s momentum. With the season still young and plenty of storylines yet to unfold, all eyes remain firmly fixed on Hotspur Way. Will Spurs find the consistency they crave? The next chapter awaits.
