Tottenham rounded off their pre-season preparations with a comfortable 3-0 home win over Hoffenheim, courtesy of Mikey Moore's second-half brace. Richarlison opened the scoring after 35 minutes, finishing from Andy Robertson's deflected cross, before Moore struck twice to send a timely reminder of his quality ahead of a potential loan move.
Fitness issues persist one week out
Under new head coach Roberto De Zerbi, who took over after successive 17th-place finishes, Tottenham are supposed to be starting a new era. However, a week before the Premier League opener at Brentford, De Zerbi is still sweating over the fitness of several key first-team players. Despite naming a strong starting lineup, there were notable absentees against Hoffenheim.
Micky van de Ven, Destiny Udogie, and James Maddison have yet to feature in pre-season, while Dominic Solanke and Mateus Fernandes have had their minutes managed. A behind-closed-doors friendly on Friday offers a chance for those who did not play this afternoon to get minutes under their belt, but plenty of fitness concerns remain heading into the curtain raiser.
Moore announces himself before potential farewell
Moore appears unlikely to stay much longer as he closes in on a loan move away from Spurs. Still, he ensured that if this is to be his final appearance in a white shirt for a while, he will leave a lasting impression. After a quiet first half, he turned home Mathys Tel's cross to double the lead after the break, then capped an excellent performance with a sneaked effort into the corner to make it 3-0.
Spurs are in the market for attacking signings before the transfer window closes, meaning Moore is unlikely to get the minutes he wants. The 19-year-old has proven over the summer that he is capable of breaking into the first team if given an opportunity. While De Zerbi will be delighted with Moore's performance, it has come at a slightly awkward time, especially if Spurs struggle to land their attacking targets.
Tel continues impressive pre-season
Tel has been one of Spurs' brightest players during pre-season, rounding off an impressive summer with two assists against Hoffenheim. After a frustrating opening 45 minutes, the former Bayern Munich forward grew into the game after the break, laying on both goals for Moore as Spurs pulled away in the second half.
His first assist came with a superb burst into the box before setting up Moore in the 59th minute, and his second saw him switch the ball from right to left before slipping the winger in on the right side of the box. Spurs are searching for attacking reinforcements, but Tel has made a strong case for more minutes this season. After a disappointing campaign last term and a decision not to leave in January, the 21-year-old has now made his case for his future at the club.
