Tottenham manager Martin Ho expressed a hint of disappointment despite his team’s impressive 7-3 victory over Aston Villa.
Following what was only the second-largest win in Women’s Super League history for Spurs, he remarked, “We could have easily scored an additional five or six goals.”
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Ho may have been reflecting on their record 8-0 triumph against Brighton in October 2022, a mark they might have aimed to surpass.
In a dominant display against struggling Villa, Spurs recorded 27 shots, 12 of which were on target, extending Villa’s losing streak to four consecutive league matches.
Villa head coach Natalia Arroyo acknowledged: “They were relentless and clinical in every aspect, not giving us a moment’s respite.”
“It felt like being submerged in a pool, unable to breathe—it was harsh. I feel truly sorry and disappointed.”
The scoring spree commenced with Signe Gaupset’s inaugural goal for Spurs in the 10th minute. Villa briefly equalized but was soon outmatched, as Spurs added two more goals within seven minutes to lead 3-1 at halftime.
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Oriane Jean-Francois netted for Villa in the 68th minute, but Tottenham responded immediately, scoring four more times to complete the rout.
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68 minutes 2-3: Oriane Jean-Francois scores for Villa.
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69 minutes 2-4: Cathinka Tandberg restores Tottenham’s two-goal advantage.
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72 minutes 2-5: Maika Hamano extends the lead.
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80 minutes 3-5: Kirsty Hanson reduces the deficit with her second goal of the match.
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82 minutes 3-6: Substitute Tandberg scores her second with just her third touch.
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85 minutes 3-7: Julie Blakstad finishes off the thrilling encounter at Villa Park.
Scandinavian connections guiding Spurs’ success
Cathinka Tandberg has netted six goals in her debut season with Spurs [Getty Images]
Before taking the helm at Tottenham in July of last year, Ho guided Norwegian team SK Brann.
In his first nine games, he secured seven victories, helping Brann finish fourth in the table.
He made history in the Champions League as well, leading them to four qualifying wins, making Brann the first Norwegian team to reach the group stage.
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Ho’s Scandinavian connections have proven advantageous at Spurs, with five players from that region contributing at Villa Park.
“We’ve been discussing the need for a more ruthless edge in front of goal given the chances we create,” Ho stated post-match.
“With 27 shots, that’s significant. We could have added another five or six goals, but scoring so many indicates the team’s belief and confidence.”
Norwegian players Blakstad and Gaupset each provided a goal and an assist, while fellow countrywoman Tandberg came off the bench to score two times. Denmark’s Olivia Holdt also contributed with a goal and an assist.
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Gaupset, just 20 years old, joined Tottenham in January from Brann, while Blakstad, 24, signed from Hammarby shortly after.
Tandberg, 21, and 24-year-old Holdt came in last summer and have also been key players for Spurs this season.
Currently, Tandberg is the team’s leading scorer in the league with six goals and two assists, while Holdt follows closely with five goals and three assists.
This promising attacking unit has given Spurs hope for a Champions League spot as they sit fifth on 29 points, five behind second-placed Manchester United and three behind Chelsea in third.
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Even if they don’t make it, the improvement under Ho is evident.
After finishing second to last last season with just 20 points, they have already recorded nine more points this time around with six games still to play.
Defensive challenges plague Arroyo’s side
Aston Villa has conceded 25 goals in their last six league matches [BBC]
At the end of the 2022-23 season, Villa finished fifth with 37 points, prompting discussions about a potential top-three finish.
Since then, they’ve stabilized somewhat, finishing seventh with 24 points and sixth with 25 in the following seasons.
Currently, however, Arroyo’s team lies ninth with 16 points from 16 games, just seven points above the bottom-placed Leicester City, while struggling Liverpool and West Ham seem to be finding form as they fight to avoid relegation.
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Villa do boast the league’s second top scorer in Kirsty Hanson, who has nine goals—six behind Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw.
However, defensively, their situation is worrying, with 25 goals conceded across the last six league matches.
They have also allowed 12 goals in the final 15 minutes of the second half, the highest tally in the league this season.
Arroyo commented: “We don’t want to lose any games, nor concede seven goals, and we need to improve our performance.”
“We will have a few weeks for us to work together to regain fitness, explore more options, and strengthen our bench. I’m proud of scoring three goals and will take some positives, but we cannot let teams capitalize on almost every opportunity they have. We must strengthen our defense.”
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With a match against league leaders Manchester City coming up, Villa must halt their downward trend to avoid slipping into the relegation battle.
[BBC]
Ben Haines, Ellen White, and Jen Beattie return for another season of the Women’s Football Weekly podcast. New episodes release every Tuesday on BBC Sounds. You can also find interviews and additional content from the Women’s Super League and more on the Women’s Football Weekly feed