Spurs 2-3 Bayern Munich (Kulusevski 1′, 62′ | Upamecano 16′, Gnabry 31′, Muller 44′)
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR STADIUM — Tottenham slipped to defeat against Bayern Munich in their final pre-season fixture as Harry Kane returned to his former club and Dominic Solanke sealed his move from Bournemouth.
Spurs got off to a dream start when Dejan Kulusevski clinically volleyed in from close range after just 23 seconds, but Dayot Upamecano wiped out the lead within 15 minutes.
Vincent Kompany’s side gained the ascendancy and established a two-goal lead by half-time with Serge Gnabry capitalising on sloppy play in the Spurs backline and Thomas Muller heading in from a free-kick.
Kulusevski reduced the deficit in the second half but Bayern held onto the win with Kane featuring for the final 15 minutes in his first appearance since England’s defeat in the European Championship final.
Here’s what i learned:
Kane returns to the Lane
364 days on from his move to Munich, the king of N17 returned. Kane became Tottenham’s record goalscorer in this stadium just 18 months ago and he was saluted by the fans who still adore him as he strolled back out onto the pitch before the match.
Kane and Eric Dier were presented with commemorative gifts from club ambassador Ledley King as recognition of their service to the club and were rapturously applauded when they came on as subs.
It was strange watching Kane playing in this stadium in a red kit, as though there had been a glitch in the matrix. Perhaps this is how things might have panned out had he not been released by Arsenal as a schoolboy.
There was no goal to mark the occasion, although Kane tried his best to score one, lashing a shot just over from the edge of the D. A split second after getting his shot away, Kane was wiped out by Cristian Romero. Unsurprisingly, the Argentine isn’t prone to sentimentality.
It was a special day for Kane regardless. He made a point of clapping all four corners of the stadium after the final whistle and of refusing to lift the prestigious Visit Malta Cup that Bayern won despite ending the game as captain as a mark of respect to his boyhood club.
He caught up with his old teammates, reserving extra time to chat with his old partner in crime Son Heung-min. The Premier League’s most prolific partnership, it was a sight that pulled on the heartstrings of the Spurs faithful.
Solanke signs
It felt somehow fitting that Spurs announced the £65m signing of Solanke on the day of Kane’s homecoming.
It took almost an entire year to buy a new striker after Kane’s sale, but Ange Postecoglou will hope that the 26-year-old proves to be worth the wait.
The deal was completed too late for Solanke to play a part but he was still paraded to the supporters, alongside fellow new recruits Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray, both of whom played the second half.
He’s here
— Oliver Young-Myles (@OMyles90) August 10, 2024Dominic Solanke is presented to the Spurs fans before kick-off, alongside Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall. pic.twitter.com/xVfRaJl5p8
“He was obviously one I was very keen to get in. It took a while to get it over the line but I think he will be a great fit for us in terms of the player he is and the point of his career where he is at,” Postecoglou said.
Solanke’s final season at Bournemouth was the best of his career as he netted 19 times in the Premier League. Only Erling Haaland, Cole Palmer and Alexander Isak scored more goals.
“We have got him at a really good time in his career. He has had to work his way back up which I always think is a good thing. Sometimes when careers go smoothly you wonder how people will handle setbacks but he had setbacks earlier in his career. He has fought his way back and has become a really good Premier League striker now.
“He is really keen to push on. He wants to improve and make an impact. I think it’s a great time for us to bring him in.”
Kane is also confident that Solanke will prove his worth in a Spurs shirt.
“Dom’s a great player, he plays with high intensity and at high speed,” he told Sky Sports. “For sure he’s going to get chances in this team the way that Ange plays and you saw that again today with two top teams going at it toe to toe.
“I think it’s a really good signing. I saw him in the changing room there and wished him all the best and I hope he has a great season.”
Kulusevski the False 9
Postecoglou expects Solanke to be available to start Spurs’ opener against Leicester next Monday and suggested that the striker’s arrival will end the pre-season experiment of Kulusevski as a False 9.
Kulusevski has performed well in an unfamiliar role and took both of his goals well, reacting quickly to convert the first and then demonstrating ice-cold composure to finish off the second. He has flourished in a more central role.
There has long been a suspicion among Spurs supporters that Kulusevski would be better served playing through the middle where his eye for a pass would be better served and lack of acceleration less acute than it is out wide.
Regardless of where Kulusevski plays, Postecoglou will hope that he can carry his confidence and purple patch into the new season, starting at the King Power.
Set-piece problems persist
As much as it’s important not to read too much into pre-season friendlies, Spurs fans will have been alarmed at their team’s continued struggles from set-pieces.
Spurs conceded from two in the first-half alone with both goals coming from a Bayern player peeling into space unmarked at the back post.
Upamecano bundled in the first after Guglielmo Vicario had saved from Matthys Tel, before the evergreen Muller nodded home just before the break.
Set plays were a big problem for Spurs in Postecoglou’s first season. They conceded 14 times from free-kicks or corners, the sixth-worst total in the Premier League.
On this evidence, there is plenty of room for improvement.
Brilliant Bergvall
At 18, Lucas Bergvall has been signed with the future in mind, but based on his performances this summer he is well capable of making an impact in the coming months too.
The Swedish midfielder came on at half-time and played a pivotal part in Spurs’ second goal by winning the ball high up the pitch and then threading a perfect pass through to his compatriot Kulusevski to score.
During his time at Djurgarden, there was plenty of debate over what kind of midfielder Bergvall will go on to be. A box-to-box dynamo? A probing playmaker? A talismanic No 10? Maybe he’ll be a combination of all three.
That passage of play provided a glimpse of his immense potential and varied skillset all in the space of five seconds. He is an exciting blend of graft and craft. Spurs beat Barcelona to the teenager’s signature and have a gem on their hands.
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