Wsl Derby Win 'not Impossible' For Spurs

This clip past season, Tottenham sat successful nan mediate of nan Women's Super League array pinch 2 wins from their opening 8 matches.

They had conceded 21 goals and suffered 5 defeats, pinch only 4 points separating them from nan relegation zone.

And that represented 1 of Spurs' amended periods arsenic they went connected to triumph conscionable 1 much lucifer each play and vanished 2nd from bottommost pinch 20 points, 10 much than relegated Crystal Palace.

This play they are 5th aft 8 games, level connected points pinch northbound London rivals Arsenal, and 2 down Manchester United successful third.

Their 5 wins from 8 games mean they person already matched past season's number of wins and emerged arsenic superior but astonishment contenders for a Champions League place.

But skipper Bethany England says conversations astir a early successful Europe are not happening wrong nan nine yet.

"Depending if we're adjacent to nan apical past we'll astir apt beryllium reasoning astir it but past that would beryllium different mobility astir really we negociate nan pressures of that," she told the BBC's Women's Football Weekly podcast.

"It's a position nan nine has not been successful earlier and having group stay calm successful those unit moments. Right now, it's not a conversation, but it's not to opportunity we don't deliberation we tin get there."

Spurs person nan chance to leapfrog Arsenal erstwhile they meet their rivals astatine Brisbane Road connected Sunday (14:30 GMT) and triumph would put them successful superior contention for a European place.

That ambition and belief felt a agelong measurement disconnected past season.

Under erstwhile head Robert Vilahamn, Spurs reached nan 2023-24 FA Cup last - wherever they mislaid to Manchester United - but advancement thereafter crushed to a halt and yet led to nan Swede leaving nan nine astatine nan extremity of past season.

"I deliberation we had to beryllium honorable pinch wherever we were astatine and I deliberation we were struggling to get that cohesion connected nan transportation arsenic good arsenic disconnected nan pitch," said England.

"We knew nan performances, what nan fans expected from us, and what nan nine expected from america weren't bully enough."

The presence of erstwhile Manchester United and Everton adjunct head Martin Ho has provided nan players pinch a much-needed boost.

The Englishman has not made wholesale changes - keeping clasp of nan bulk of past year's squad - but England says nan mentality astir nan nine has improved significantly.

"Martin coming successful has changed a lot. Our strength has sewage higher, nan demands person sewage much and testing america much arsenic players arsenic good arsenic people," she said.

"Having that activity is what we needed successful nan consciousness that we were astir apt getting a spot excessively comfortable and not being wherever we wanted to be.

"This twelvemonth we've been capable to spot a alteration successful our mentality successful games, our desire and willingness to conflict for 1 different connected nan transportation and I deliberation we're people emotion much assured wrong ourselves."

Tottenham whitethorn beryllium emotion much assured this play nether Ho, but their WSL grounds against Arsenal offers small origin for optimism.

Of nan 11 northbound London derbies, Spurs person won only once.

Yet that lone triumph - a 1-0 triumph successful December 2023 astatine Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - is capable to service arsenic a root of belief.

"We've sewage a large opportunity successful a northbound London derby to do what we've done previously. I cognize we've only beaten them erstwhile before, but it's not impossible," England said.

Ho says that his players do not request him to "tell them really large that crippled is".

"They cognize that. It's my first one, " he added. "I cognize really important it is to nan fans, to nan nine and we want to make judge we spell into that pinch nan correct cognition and nan correct mentality but it's a really large opportunity for america to showcase what we tin do."

However, Sunday's lucifer will not beryllium Ho's first sensation of nan rivalry, having seen Tottenham hit nan Gunners 4-3 successful pre-season, successful his 2nd crippled successful charge.

Asked astir that pre-season crippled by BBC London, Ho replied: "I wish they counted for thing but they don't. We tin return immoderate assurance and belief from that, that we beryllium astatine that level and we tin compete astatine that level."

A uncommon derby triumph for Spurs could beryllium damaging to Arsenal's title aspirations arsenic it would time off them astatine slightest six points down leaders Manchester City, who could widen their advantage pinch a triumph against Manchester United connected Saturday.

And Arsenal will beryllium keen to bounce backmost aft letting a two-goal lead gaffe successful their 3-2 conclusion by Bayern Munich successful nan Women's Champions League connected Wednesday.

"That was really disappointing and we've acknowledged that arsenic a collective," Gunners leader Renee Slegers said.

"The players will usage this arsenic substance going into nan northbound London derby."