Spurs’ Under 21 side faced Derby County’s Under 21 side in their third Premier League 2 fixture of the 2023/24 season, on Friday evening at Derby County’s Pride Park stadium. Wayne Burnett’s Spurs side continued their perfect start to the Premier League 2 season, by winning 2-0 away to Derby County, in what was a good performance against a hardworking Derby side. Spurs started with Josh Keeley in goal, as Tyrell Ashcroft, Alfie Dorrington, Maksim Paskotši and Harvey White started in defence. Captain Brooklyn Lyons-Foster, Rio Kyerematen and Jamie Donley all played in midfield, as Nile John and Yago Santiago started out in the flanks, either side of centre-forward Jude Soonsup-Bell. Derby got the game underway. Daniel Cox managed to block Jamie Donley’s early effort on the Derby goal, before Donley managed to find Jude Soonsup-Bell inside the Derby penalty area. However, Soonsup-Bell’s resulting low effort went wide of the goal. After Rio Kyerematen received Nile John’s pass on the edge of the Derby box, Kyerematen had an effort on the turn saved by Derby’s goalkeeper Harry Evans. Spurs continued to be the better team. Yago Santiago did well to run with the ball from the left flank into the Derby penalty area, but he eventually lost the ball. However, Jamie Donley managed to latch onto it inside the box, and his resulting effort went just wide of the goal.

Bradley Johnson headed wide a corner-kick from Carlos Richards, before Bradley Johnson hit an effort over the Spurs goalkeeper from the edge of their penalty area. Derby were enjoying more of the ball for a time towards the latter stages of the first half. After Adebayo Fapetu had won the ball, the Derby midfielder went forward with the ball, but his resulting effort went wide of Josh Keeley’s goal. Spurs did finish the first half well however, as Yago Santiago went forward with the ball, beyond Darren Robinson with great skill, before being fouled on the edge of the Derby penalty area. The ball came to Nile John on the right side of the box, but his resulting effort was pushed behind by Derby’s goalkeeper Harry Evans. Brooklyn Lyons-Foster blocked Carlos Richards’ effort late on, before the referee sounded his whistle for half-time. Spurs got the second half underway. Early on in the second half Rio Kyerematen received a yellow card for going to ground too easily in the Derby penalty area, according to the referee. A good cross-field pass from Tyrell Ashcroft to Yago Santiago on the left side of the Derby box, saw Santiago control the ball before having his effort saved by Evans.

Spurs’ first substitutions saw Matthew Craig and Will Lankshear replace Jude Soonsup-Bell and Rio Kyerematen, respectively. On 59 minutes Matthew Craig had an effort blocked on the edge of the Derby penalty area. Jamie Donley picked the ball up before finding Will Lankshear on the right side of the Derby box, with a good curling pass. Lankshear finished well on the half-volley, to put the ball past Evans and into the Derby goal, 1-0. Soon after the game got started again, Lankshear headed an effort wide after meeting a cross from the impressive Harvey White inside the Derby box. Donley then headed over a Harvey White cross, before Santiago received a pass from Donley, before travelling at pace into the Derby penalty area, and only hitting the ball narrowly wide from close range. Derby’s Darren Robinson then hit an effort over on the turn, from the edge of the Spurs penalty area, in what was a rare chance in the second half for the home side. Jamie Donley received a yellow card, before Max Robson replaced Maksim Paskotši.

A good Spurs move resulted in Dorrington finding Lankshear, who took the ball to the right side of the Derby penalty area, before squaring the ball for Donley, whose resulting effort was deflected over the goal by a Derby defender. Spurs continued to search for their second goal of the game. After Santiago had found Lankshear on the left side of the Derby box, the 18 year old had an effort saved at his near post by Harry Evans, before the ball came to Santiago, whose effort was blocked. Will Lankshear then hit an effort over from the edge of the penalty area. Nile John hit a low effort wide from the left side of the Derby box, before Dante Cassanova replaced Nile John a couple of moments later. Spurs managed to double their lead in the fifth minute of second half additional time, in what was a very similar goal to their first of the game. Jamie Donley had picked the ball up on the edge of the Derby penalty area, before curling the ball into the back post to find Lankshear, who was brave, as he challenged goalkeeper Harry Evans, to head the ball beyond him and into the goal, 2-0.

Alfie Dorrington blocked a late Derby effort, before Will Lankshear was shown a yellow card in the final moments of the game. This was another good team performance from Spurs, whose next game is on Tuesday evening at the Lamex Stadium against Sunderland, in the Under 21 Premier League Cup.

Player reviews:

• Josh Keeley: The Spurs goalkeeper didn’t have a save to make against Derby County, but once again he was vocal throughout the match.
• Tyrell Ashcroft: The Spurs right-back made some good tackles and he got forward well on the right flank.
• Alfie Dorrington: The right sided central defender had some good moments during the game, where he was defensively solid alongside Maksim Paskotši. Dorrington went on a really good surging forward run out of defence during the second half.
• Maksim Paskotši: The Estonia international was also solid defensively, and good on the ball.
• Harvey White: This was a good performance from the 21 year old at left-back. Harvey got better and better as the game went on, and he was good in defence. However, he got forward well and delivered some fine crosses into the penalty area.
• Brooklyn Lyons-Foster: The Spurs captain took what seemed to be a knock to his ankle very early on in the game, but he got stronger and stronger as the game went on, in midfield, where he used the ball well and also impressed with his reading of the game. Lyons-Foster finished the game in central defence.
• Rio Kyerematen: The central midfielder played higher up the pitch than Brooklyn Lyons-Foster. Rio worked well off the ball.
• Jamie Donley: The Spurs CAM worked very well off the ball against Derby, and he also provided two fine assists to set-up Will Lankshear’s goals. He did also go close to scoring a goal, on a couple of occasions against Derby.
• Nile John: Starting the game out on the right flank as a winger, Nile John didn’t see a lot of the ball, but he did track back well and also try to be inventive with the ball.
• Jude Soonsup-Bell: The Spurs centre-forward didn’t have many chances to score a goal from, but he did work hard off the ball during his time on the pitch.
• Yago Santiago: The winger was one of Spurs’ most creative players against Derby County. Yago Santiago showed some great close ball control and skill on the left flank and on another day he could have had a couple of goals to his name.
• Matthew Craig: The central midfielder was assured in midfield, after being substituted on during the second half.
• Will Lankshear: My man of the match, see below.
• Max Robson: Max Robson was a late substitute against Derby. He played out on the right flank.
• Dante Cassanova: Dante Cassanova entered the pitch as a very late substitute .

My man of the match – Will Lankshear. The 18 year old centre-forward entered the pitch in the 58th minute of the match. The former Sheffield United Academy player did really well during his time leading the line, against Derby County. Will Lankshear pressed well, but it was his two goals that he scored, both of which he took well, and was found well by Jamie Donley. It was great to Will score his first Premier League 2 goals for Spurs, especially after he missed quite a lot of last season with injury.

The Spurs Under 21 played their first home Premier League 2 fixture of the 2023/24 season on Saturday afternoon, when they faced Newcastle United at Stevenage’s Lamex Stadium. Wayne Burnett’s side impressively won the game 4-1, to continue their perfect start to the new Premier League 2 season. Spurs lined-up with Josh Keeley in goal, as Tyrell Ashcroft, Ashley Phillips, Alfie Dorrington and Harvey White started in defence for Spurs. Captain Brooklyn Lyons-Foster, Alfie Devine and Jamie Donley started in midfield for Spurs, as Nile John and Yago Santiago started out on the flanks, with Jude Soonsup-Bell once again leading the line for Spurs. Newcastle United got the game underway. Early on in the match Spurs’ goalkeeper Josh Keeley made a good reflex save from Remi Savage inside the Spurs box, before another Newcastle player hit an effort over the Spurs goal. Spurs did however, take the lead very soon after. Harvey White passed the ball to Jude Soonsup-Bell, who gave the ball to Yago Santiago, and the former Celta Vigo Academy player once again showed his outstanding pace, to go forward really well with the ball down the left flank. Santiago took the ball into the Newcastle penalty area, before skilfully going past their goalkeeper Jude Smith, and putting the ball into the back of the goal, 1-0.

After receiving the ball on the left flank from a Jamie Donley pass, Alfie Devine came inside from the left flank, before trying to test the Newcastle goalkeeper with a low effort from the edge of their penalty area. However, Devine’s effort went just wide of the goal. Amadou Diallo hit an effort over Josh Keeley’s goal from the edge of the Spurs box, and then shortly after Diallo hit an effort just wide of the Spurs goal, after receiving the ball on the left side of their penalty area. After Jude Smith’s pass out from his penalty area was latched onto by Yago Santiago, the Spurs winger continued towards the Newcastle box, before seeing his powerful effort saved by Smith. A great, surging forward run out of defence from Alfie Dorrington resulted in the Tottenham central defender taking the ball a long distance up the pitch. Dorrington would eventually pass the ball to Nile John on the right flank, and he would give the ball back to Dorrington inside the Newcastle penalty area, where the Spurs man found Jamie Donley with a reverse pass, but his effort went just wide of the goal.

After Jamie Donley had passed the ball to Yago Santiago, the Spurs forward gave the ball back to Donley on the left flank, and the England youth international managed to find Jude Soonsup-Bell from a good cross towards the back post of the Newcastle goal, from which Soonsup-Bell finished well, into the goal, 2-0. Brooklyn Lyons-Foster hit an effort over from distance, as Spurs continued to impress, before Newcastle forward Jay Turner-Cooke brought the ball inside from the right flank, and then curling an effort just wide of the Spurs goal, in what was the final chance of the first half. Spurs got the second half underway. Alfie Devine had a low effort from the edge of the Newcastle box saved, before Josh Keeley saved Amadou Diallo’s effort from the left side of the pitch, following a move inside from the left flank, with the ball. Yago Santiago would receive a pass from Alfie Devine on 52 minutes, which would see him skilfully go past a Newcastle defender with the ball at ease, before finishing really well from the left side of the Newcastle box, as he found the right side of the goal with real style, 3-0. Following a free-kick lay-off by Harvey White, Alfie Devine tested goalkeeper Jude Smith from distance. A couple of minutes later and after Jude Soonsup-Bell had been challenged inside the Newcastle penalty area, the ball came to Nile John, inside the box, and his early effort found the bottom left corner of the Newcastle goal, 4-0.

Newcastle’s Jamie Miley hit an effort just wide of the Spurs goal from the edge of their penalty area, before Yago Santiago had a deflected effort at the other end of the pitch saved by Smith. A double substitution for Spurs resulted in Rio Kyerematen and Will Lankshear replacing Jamie Donley and Jude Soonsup-Bell respectively. Shortly after Matthew Craig replaced Harvey White at left-back. Despite the best efforts of Matthew Craig on the Spurs goal-line, Newcastle managed to get a goal back on 78 minutes, after substitute James Huntley volleyed home, after meeting Ben Parkinson’s cross inside the Spurs penalty area. Alfie Devine received a yellow card, before Remi Savage headed over a Newcastle corner-kick. Spurs’ final substitution saw Max Robson replace Alfie Devine. After Rio Kyerematen had an effort blocked inside the Newcastle box, the ball came to Nile John, who had an effort saved by Jude Smith. Very late on in the game Spurs debutant Ashley Phillips received a yellow card. This was another excellent team performance from Spurs, who face Derby County (away) next Friday evening in their next Premier League 2 fixture.

Player reviews: 

• Josh Keeley: The Spurs goalkeeper really impressed once again with his distribution, but he also made a couple of important saves, including a fine and very important reaction save at 0-0.
• Tyrell Ashcroft: This was another solid defensive performance at right-back from Tyrell Ashcroft, who defended well down his side of the pitch.
• Ashley Phillips: I thought that the Spurs debutant and new signing did well against Newcastle, and he was very assertive in his defending. Ashley Phillips worked well alongside another England youth international, his Spurs teammate Alfie Dorrington.
• Alfie Dorrington: Playing on the left side of central defence, Alfie Dorrington’s class and quality on the ball was evident once again on Saturday afternoon. However, he also read the game well alongside Ashley Phillips.
• Harvey White: Starting the game at left-back, Harvey White would step into midfield on a number of occasions against Newcastle, and he made some good passes.
• Brooklyn Lyons-Foster: In a similar way to his excellent performance against Manchester City’s Under 21 side in Spurs’ first game of the season, defensive-midfielder Brooklyn Lyons-Foster performed his role in midfield so well against Newcastle. He passed the ball around the pitch really well, held great defensive positioning and he was really performing a number of roles to great effect, from that defensive-midfield position. The Spurs captain has been so important to the team in the first two Premier League 2 games of the season.
• Alfie Devine: The Spurs midfielder got an assist against Newcastle, and he took up some good forward positions. Devine was unlucky not to score a goal during the first half.
• Jamie Donley: Once again the furthest forward of the Spurs midfielders linked the play well, and he got a good assist for Jude Soonsup-Bell’s goal.
• Nile John: Starting the game out on the right flank as a winger, Nile John didn’t see as much of the ball as he did when he was playing in midfield during the previous Saturday. However, he took his goal really well against Newcastle on Saturday.
• Jude Soonsup-Bell: Showing some good pace and skill with the ball, centre-forward Jude Soonsup-Bell got a goal and an assist in what was a fine performance from the 19 year old former Chelsea Academy player.
• Yago Santiago: My man of the match, see below.
• Rio Kyerematen: The Second half substitute would replace Jamie Donley in the CAM position in the second half.
• Will Lankshear: The centre-forward worked really hard off the ball after entering the pitch during the second half.
• Matthew Craig: The midfielder returned as a second half substitute against Newcastle.
• Max Robson: The 20 year old was a late substitute, going into the left-back position after being brought on.

My man of the match – Yago Santiago. The 20 year old forward was excellent and very influential out on the left flank as a winger on Saturday afternoon against Newcastle United. Yago Santiago, who I really wouldn’t be surprised to see be called-up to represent Spain at youth level in the near future, showed outstanding pace and composure with the ball. He was skilful and unpredictable, but he took both of his goals really, really well against Newcastle. Yago also worked well off the ball.

Spurs’ Under 21 side faced the reigning Premier League 2 champions Manchester City on Saturday afternoon, at their Academy training ground. Wayne Burnett’s Spurs side won their first Premier League 2 game of the new 2023/24 season 5-0, against Manchester City, in what was a very good performance from Spurs. Josh Keeley started in goal for Spurs, while Tyrell Ashcroft, Alfie Dorrington, Maksim Paskotši and Max Robson started in defence. Captain Brooklyn Lyons-Foster, Nile John and Jamie Donley all started in midfield, as Damola Ajayi and Yago Santiago started the game out on the flanks, either side of Spurs’ centre-forward Jude Soonsup-Bell. Manchester City got the game underway. It was however, Spurs who started the game much the better of the two sides, as Manchester City’s fairly inexperienced side at Premier League 2 level, fell behind in the seventh minute of the game. Following a good Spurs passing move, Jamie Donley found Yago Santiago on the left flank, the Spurs winger then took the ball into the Manchester City box, before finding the back of the net with a clinical finish past Manchester City goalkeeper True Grant, 1-0.

Brooklyn Lyons-Foster headed a good effort onto the top of the Manchester City crossbar, after meeting Yago Santiago’s free-kick delivery into their penalty area, from the left flank. Spurs did make it 2-0 shortly after, as a pass came to Jamie Donley on the edge of the Manchester City box, as the ball bounced off him and into the feet of Jude Soonsup-Bell inside the penalty area, and he finished superbly well from quite a difficult angle, as he lifted the ball into the roof of True Grant’s goal, 2-0. The impressive Max Robson deflected behind Isaiah Dada-Mascoll’s effort from the edge of the Spurs penalty area. After some really good work from Jamie Donley, Jude Soonsup-Bell would surely have scored from inside the Manchester City penalty area, but for a really good last ditch challenge, to take the ball away from him. At the other end of the pitch Alfie Dorrington made a very good sliding defensive intervention, to stop Kane Taylor’s cross into the Spurs box, from finding a teammate.

Nile John had two efforts in quick succession blocked on the edge of the Manchester City penalty area, before then setting-up a chance for Yago Santiago to score a goal from the left side of the home sides’ penalty area, but Santiago’s low effort was saved by goalkeeper True Grant. After some fine skill from Jamie Donley inside the Manchester City box, the Spurs forward had an effort blocked. And then a couple of minutes later Brooklyn Lyons-Foster hit an effort wide from the edge of the penalty area, following another very good Spurs move. Manchester City were trying to create good chances, as Isaiah Dada-Mascoll hit an effort wide from the edge of the Spurs box. However, Nile John came close to extending Spurs’ lead, from a good curling effort on the edge of the Manchester City penalty area, which True Grant did well to push away from goal. Following a pass that was picked up by Nile John from a Manchester City player, Spurs moved into their penalty area once again. Soonsup-Bell gave the ball to Donley, but with True Grant out of his goal a Manchester City defender was able to block his effort on goal. The referee then sounded his whistle for half-time.

Spurs got the second half underway. It took Spurs less than two minutes into the second half, before they got their third goal of the game. As Spurs went forward with the ball Jude Soonsup-Bell made a through-ball pass to second year scholar Damola Ajayi, who took the ball into the Manchester City box where he showed good skill on the ball, before finishing well beyond the goalkeeper with a low effort, 3-0. A deflected effort on the Spurs goal was well headed away by Maksim Paskotši, before Joel Ndala’s effort inside the penalty area came to Will Dickson, whose effort went narrowly wide of Josh Keeley’s goal. Alfie Dorrington then blocked behind Joel Ndala’s effort from the edge of the Spurs box, as Manchester City tried to respond. Joel Ndala hit an effort over from the edge of the Spurs box, before Spurs further extended their lead. Santiago won the ball off of Jahmai Simpson-Pusey on the left flank, before travelling with the ball into the home sides’ box. He then cleverly twisted his way beyond the Manchester City defender, before finding the roof of the goal, with a powerful effort, 4-0.

After Yago Santiago had passed the ball to Jamie Donley on the left side of the Manchester City box, Donley came close to scoring, but for a good save from True Grant, who pushed the ball over his goal. Spurs made some substitutions, as Will Lankshear and Rio Kyerematen replaced Jude Soonsup-Bell and Jamie Donley respectively. And after a quick free-kick from Damola Ajayi saw him find Rio Kyerematen, the Spurs substitute ran forward with the ball at pace, into the Manchester City box, before finishing well past True Grant, to make it 5-0 to Spurs. Dante Cassanova came on to replace Tyrell Ashcroft, before Lankshear had an effort blocked inside the Manchester City box, following a good run from the former Sheffield United academy player. Charlie Sayers came on to replace Alfie Dorrington late on in the game, before Rio Kyerematen had a penalty shout waived away by the referee. Very late on in the game Will Lankshear had an effort blocked on the edge of the penalty area, before the referee brought the game to an end. This was a great win for Wayne Burnett’s Spurs Under 21 side, who host Newcastle United in a Premier League 2 fixture, next Saturday at Stevenage’s Lamex Stadium.

Player reviews: 

• Josh Keeley: The Spurs goalkeeper didn’t actually have a save to make on Saturday afternoon, but once again his distribution and short passing were good.
• Tyrell Ashcroft: On his first Premier League 2 appearance for almost a year, i thought that Tyrell Ashcroft did really well at right-back, having a good balance to his game during his time on the pitch.
• Alfie Dorrington: The central defender made some good blocks and defensive interventions, and he passed the ball out well from defence.
• Maksim Paskotši: On his first Premier League 2 start for the Spurs Under 21 side for the first time in a while, the central defender looked assured in defence and composed on the ball. He would later play the latter stages of the game at right-back.
• Max Robson: The Spurs left-back had a really good game, linking-up excellently with Yago Santiago in the forward areas of the pitch, but also doing some really good defensive work, where he was solid and assured in how he defended. Robson had a really good balance to his game, and I though that he was one of Spurs’ best players on the day.
• Brooklyn Lyons-Foster: My man of the match, see below.
• Nile John: Linking the play really well at times, midfielder Nile John used the ball well and was also very inventive with it for good parts of the game on Saturday.
• Jamie Donley: The most advanced of the three Spurs midfielders provided two assists against Manchester City. Donley had some really good moments in the game, showing good skill on the ball and also moving well off it. He was also unlucky not to score a goal in the second half.
• Damola Ajayi: The forward and second year scholar impressed for the Spurs Under 21 side on Saturday. Damola Ajayi did well out on the right flank, and he scored a well taken goal as well as providing an assist for Rio Kyerematen’s goal.
• Jude Soonsup-Bell: The centre-forward was another player who really impressed me against Manchester City. He worked hard off the ball, took his goal so well and also provided the assist for Damola Ajayi’s goal.
• Yago Santiago: This was an excellent performance on the left flank from Yago Santiago, as he scored two really well taken goals against Manchester City. Santiago showed his excellent pace and he was really lively on the left flank throughout the match.
• Will Lankshear: It was great to see the talented centre-forward make his return from injury, as a substitute against Manchester City. Lankshear worked really hard off the ball after being introduced to the game in the second half. He also had a couple of efforts on goal blocked.
• Rio Kyerematen: The Spurs CAM for some of the second half took his goal really well following a good run into the Manchester City box.
• Dante Cassanova: The late substitute went into central midfield for the latter stages of the game.
• Charlie Sayers: The central defender entered the game very late on as a substitute.

My man of the match – Brooklyn Lyons-Foster. The Spurs captain played as the defensive-midfielder for Spurs against Manchester City. In my opinion the very versatile Spurs player showed his quality in that defensive-midfield position, and he looked very classy on the ball. Lyons-Foster demonstrated his fine leadership qualities throughout the game, but it was his ability to be almost everywhere in midfield and be so assured and effective in all that he did during the game, which is why I thought that he was the man of the match, and it allowed the other players to be so influential in the final third. Brooklyn finished the game in central defence.