Richarlison absence, Son and Gil’s silky link-up – Five things spotted in Tottenham training
Tottenham Hotspur have continued their preparations for the Premier League match against Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon
On the Hotspur Way training fields, Tottenham has been carrying out their work with Ange Postecoglou and his coaching team.
Oliver Glasner, Crystal Palace’s new manager, will be paying Spurs a visit on Saturday afternoon when they return to Premier League action. Postecoglou and his coaching staff will have had precisely two weeks to work with the players to address the issues from the loss to Wolves by the time of the 3pm kickoff.
The following five observations are based on photographs and videos we took during several of Tottenham’s training sessions this week.
Where’s Richarlison?
Among the players whose absences from the pictures and videos of this week’s training sessions stand out is Richardson. In the most recent video, the Brazilian does make a brief appearance indoors. He strolls around the boot-up area, making fun of and pointing at the laughing Papa Matar Sarr before approaching and shaking hands with academy players Max Robson and Aaron Maguire who are waiting to interact with the first team.
However, during the actual training footage, Richarlison cannot be seen in the foreground or background of any images or video footage of the entire group, particular in a large-sided training game. Then when the attacking players are grouped together for shooting drills and also shown in an image speaking to assistant head coach Chris Davies, the Brazil international is nowhere to be seen.
Whether the footage just came on a day when Richarlison was carrying a knock that needed resting or whether it’s something a little more than that, we’ll find out at Postecoglou’s press conference on Friday afternoon.
Destiny back
One positive for Postecoglou is the return of Destiny Udogie to training with the Italian having missed the match against Wolves before this mini-break.
The Italian is expected to be in contention for the game against Palace this weekend and with the absence of Pedro Porro from the training ground footage this week, that appears to fit with Postecoglou’s pre-Wolves assessment that Udogie should be back in time for the game against Palace while Porro would be out slightly longer.
Fraser Forster remains out long-term with his fractured foot while Manor Solomon is nearing his return to training when he feels 100% comfortable to do so after five months out following his knee surgery and subsequent small follow-up procedure.
Vicario and Whiteman reactions
Watch the clips of Guglielmo Vicario and Alfie Whiteman cooperating in this week’s training film if you needed any more evidence that goalies have rather quick reflexes.
Whiteman first springs up from a prone posture on the ground to make a low save to his left. A moment later, he dives on the ball and then performs a wonderful low block with his hand and then his leg, stopping goalkeeping coach Rob Burch’s effort from a low cross into the six-yard box.
Next comes Vicario’s turn in goal, and the Spurs main man to the left of the goal produces an incredible reaction stop that has Whiteman looking quite impressed and the coaching staff cheering.
