Derby proves we are back on track, warns Winks
Harry Winks has said Tottenham Hotspur are back to their normal selves after a turbulent transfer window was followed by their challenging start to the Premier League season.
Tottenham produced an impressive performance in the first half of their meeting with Arsenal on Sunday and manager Mauricio Pochettino said they could now draw a line under the summer of uncertainty that caused disruption to the first few weeks of their campaign.
Winks, who has been recalled to the England squad, impressed in midfield against Arsenal as Tottenham took a 2-0 lead before conceding goals to Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-emerick Aubameyang.
“Having dominated the first half with so many chances, it was difficult to take,” said Winks. “We were excellent. We were aggressive and we showed in parts that we are back to our normal selves.”
There have been doubts at Tottenham over the futures of key players, such as Christian Eriksen, Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld and Danny Rose. The expected turnover of players did not materialise, though, and the closure of the European transfer window yesterday provided clarity for Pochettino.
“We are a strong squad, off the pitch as well as on it,” Winks said. “We have got a great energy around the camp and everybody has been positive and happy. Just results have not been going the way we wanted them to. But that’s football.
“Everybody is happy, everybody is getting on really well. We are working as hard as we can to try to get results and get back into winning ways.”
Vertonghen’s return to the side was of particular importance to Tottenham after the Belgian had been surprisingly left out of the matches against Aston Villa, Manchester City and Newcastle United.
Vertonghen has insisted he was not dropped due to concerns over his fitness, saying it was purely a “tactical decision” by Pochettino to leave him out.
“I came back fit,” said Vertonghen. “I played in every pre-season game and I did not miss a session. Like the manager explained before the first game against Villa, it was a tactical decision and I respect that decision. We players have to accept his decisions. I am very, very happy to be back.
“When you don’t play, you realise how important it is and it’s extremely important for me. I’ve been so long with the guys, I love the club and I just want to play as much as I can. I feel great and I just want to help the club to win trophies.”
The closure of the transfer window confirmed that Eriksen would remain until January at least, despite the midfielder’s intention to move to one of Europe’s biggest teams this summer.
Meanwhile, former Tottenham striker Fernando Llorente has joined Napoli after leaving at the end of last season. The 34-year-old will be fondly remembered for scoring Tottenham’s crucial away goal in their quarter-final victory over Manchester City in last year’s Champions League.
Before that, he spent a year at Swansea City, helping them avoid relegation from the Premier League in 2016-17.