Tottenham`s 1-0 friendly victory over Arsenal in Hong Kong wasn`t the fiery North London derby fans might have hoped for. Instead, it was a low-intensity sparring session, with both teams holding back ahead of more significant upcoming matches.
Analyzing the game`s specifics is difficult, largely due to the poor playing surface at Kai Tak Sports Park, which resembled a grassy field rather than a professional stadium. The numerous off-target shots from players like Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard likely reflected the challenging pitch conditions rather than a lack of form, especially with the Premier League season just weeks away.
However, one area offered genuine insight: set pieces. Tottenham`s vulnerability from dead-ball situations was a significant weakness last season under Ange Postecoglou, who seemingly paid little attention to them, resulting in 27 goals conceded from set plays over two Premier League seasons.
This neglect is unlikely to persist under new management with Thomas Frank. Frank, known for his Brentford side`s prowess in exploiting set pieces against top Premier League teams, including Arsenal, immediately signaled a new focus by bringing Andreas Georgson from Manchester United to enhance their dead-ball strategies.
Arsenal, despite their own strength in corner delivery (12 goals from corners in the last two seasons), struggled defensively. In a dominant first half for Spurs, two corners struck David Raya`s posts: Pedro Porro`s effort curved past the front post cluster, hitting the stanchion, while Mohamed Kudus`s powerful delivery rebounded off the post, with Richarlison diverting it away.
Raya appeared unsettled, seemingly targeted by Spurs` strategy of challenging his authority in the box on dangerous balls. His subsequent shaky pass into midfield just before halftime led to Richarlison dispossessing Myles Lewis-Skelly, setting up Pape Matar Sarr for the game`s sole goal from distance. While a proper Premier League match would have seen lengthy VAR checks for a potential foul by Richarlison, here it was an immediate celebration for Spurs.
For Arsenal, their set-piece performance, despite 13 corners yielding little, isn`t a major concern. They were notably missing Gabriel Magalhaes, arguably the world`s best set-piece defender, who is recovering from an early preseason hamstring injury. His absence significantly impacted their defensive set-piece record last season. He is expected to return for their Premier League opener against Manchester United. Furthermore, any goals from Spurs` corners would likely have faced VAR scrutiny regarding Raya`s obstruction in a competitive match.
Overall, for Tottenham, this match signals a notable improvement. After two seasons of conceding avoidable goals from set pieces, they`ve now brought in an expert in this domain, and the positive impact is already evident.
