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It was clear in the summer that Spurs needed to move on from Robert Vilahamn. The 2024/25 season had been little short of a disaster. Tottenham only survived in the WSL thanks to the dire state of Crystal Palace. Such a shambles could not be repeated.

The question then, was not whether to reset things, but how. I confess I knew nothing of Martin Ho before he turned up at Hotspur Way, but it just a few short months he has revamped and revitalised a group of players that looked out on their feet. From the ground-out victory against West Ham and impressive away win against Everton to start the season, to the battling recent draw against Arsenal, each performance has shown us something different about the team’s development. The mood has changed and it’s clear the players are willing to give it all for the Liverpudlian. That last gasp win against Aston Villa would never have happened last season. (How many games have we said that after?)

Hold Shines, but Attacking Concerns Remain

The standout player so far has been Olivia Holdt. She has found new levels and everything good Spurs do going forward flows through her. This chart, generated using Earpiece from TwelveFootball, shows that clearly:

In Tinka Tandberg and Beth England, the team has two strikers who can both hold the ball and finish. However, it is also in attack that thing are slightly lack.

Quality, no Quanity, of Chances:

There has not been an uptick in attacking performance from last season:

Defensively things have not changed that much either:

   
So where have things improved? It is, in no small part, about the quality of chances. The data show that Tottenham Hotspur women are now creating 2.27 high opportunity shots per game in the WSL. With Tandberg, Holdt and England around, that can lead to goals. Last season, the team was struggling to turn possession into shots. 

Collapse Against Man Utd

It’s hugely frustrating. Such a win would have been a real statement. Perhaps Spurs will knock Man Utd out of the League Cup on Sunday, but a WSL win would have really demonstrated progress. It’s understandable that after getting hammered by Man City there has been a focus on defensive against “the big four”. However, in future, Ho will have to be a little braver and push his players forwards if they are going to get such a win.

Overall, it’s been a better start to the season than anyone who follows Spurs might have imagined. The mood around the team has totally changed. Martin Ho and his players can genuinely be proud of what they have done so far. January reinforcements are both expected, and needed, if things are going to kick on.

Spurs have made huge progress under Martin Ho, but they still lack that statement win. A victory over one of the “Big Four”. Can they change that this weekend?

Spurs were not fantastic last time out against Aston Villa, but that 95th minute Olivia Holdt winner will give them a huge confidence boost going into the game. Ho described it as “huge”. He added that “when you’re not at your best and you can win games, I think it’s the signs of a good team in the making.”

The Dane finished after a wonderful reverse pass by Drew Spence, who this week signed a new contact with the club. Ho regards the Jamaican international as one key leaders in his squad. Spence and captain Bethany England will certainly have to stand up if their team is going to get anything at the Leigh Sports Village Stadium.

The manager is clearly going into the game with a positive attitude: “If we put in a big performance, and we perform to the levels I know we can, with and without the ball, I believe we can be a match for anyone, and we’ve shown that in large spells now.” 

Interestingly he said “that we go into this game with a totally different mentality in terms of how we’ve been in the previous game against Arsenal just recently.” This perhaps suggest a bit more attacking intent. However, Ho was clear that “I’m under no illusion that it’s big task in terms of when we play these teams”.

Spurs will have to get this win, and a lot of others, without Jessica Naz. The England winger has cruelly got the second ACL injury of her career and will not be back for some time. “She’s doing okay,” said Ho. He conceded that Naz “will be a big loss in terms of in and out of possession”. Molly Bartrip’s return to the heart of the Tottenham defence is timely though. However well they have been playing without her, it’s yet another senior player back in the mix.

Spurs proved recently against Arsenal that they can grind it out against the top teams. It’s been a remarkable turnaround since that early-season shambles against Man City. However, getting over the line  is going to require a real creative spark. Maybe a bit of magic from the bench. I cannot quite see where that is going to come from. But Spurs barely had a sight of Arsenal’s goal in that famous derby almost exactly two years ago and, in Holdt, they have a special player who provide those standout out moments.

Spurs Women get back into action on Sunday, 7 December, 2025, following the international break. Those trips abroad have taken their toll on some. Charlie Grant, Olga Ahtinen and Cathinka Tandberg picked up injuries and will not feature again before Christmas. All three have contributed this season, but the lost of Tandberg will particularly hurt, given how she has improved the Spurs attack.

Spurs boss Martin Ho said he and his players are “under no illusions” about this weekend’s opponents. “They’re a wonderful team,” he said, noting the results Aston Villa have picked up against Arsenal and Man Utd. “They don’t concede many chances” added Ho, who said his team needs to be “ruthless” going forward. Villa have only netted nine times so far this season, but only conceded 10 times. Chances will not be easy to come by on Sunday. They cannot be wasted.

However, Ho is just as focussed, if not more so, at making sure his side is solid at the back. “I pride myself a lot on art of maybe defending,” he said. This has “maybe got lost within all the fancy side of football at the moment.” And working on this art has paid some dividends. Spurs head into this round of matches on level points with North London rivals Arsenal, against who they picked up a gutsy 0-0 draw last time out in the league.

Creativity has been a problem though. Jess Naz and Matilda Vinberg really need to contribute more from the wing. Bethany England and Tandberg linked well together earlier in the season, but more recently only one has featured at any one time. With Tandberg out for a number of weeks, there will be a lot of pressure on England to score the goals her side need. 

Olivia Holdt, of course, may be the answer. She has been Spurs’ standout player during the first half of the campaign, linking with Tandberg, England and anyone else who can actually keep up with her. The Dane’s creativity is crucial, and could be the answer to unpicking the lock on Sunday.

These two sides met in September in the Subway Cup. Spurs got the bonus point, winning the penalty shootout after a 0-0 draw. A goalless encounter suits neither team this time around and would undo a lot of the good work Tottenham did against Arsenal. With just a couple of games to go before the winter break, TottenhamHotspur women cannot afford to spurn opportunities to pick up points at home.

Team News

Tottenham: Kop, Bartrip, Nilden, Naz, England, Holdt, Vinberg, Hunt, Spence, Summanen, Neville.

Aston Villa: D’Angelo, Maritz, Patten, Deslandes, Grant, Kendall, Taylor, Maltby, Daly, Salmon, Hanson.

Tottenham vs Aston Villa Women in the WSL kicks-off at 12pm on Sunday, 7th December, 2025. The game is available to watch on Sky Sports+ and for FREE on YouTube. If you’re away, you can still access your usual services by using a VPN. ​​​I use NordVPN.​​​ You can currently get up to 74% off with their Cyber Monday deal.

Spurs have been drawn away to Man Utd in the quarter-final of the Subway Cup (the women’s league cup). If they are victorious, they will play either Crystal Palace or Arsenal in the semi-final. The draw came after Martin Ho’s side got a a 0-1 win over Bristol City on Sunday thanks to a Martha Thomas goal. The victory saw them go ahead of Aston Villa and through to the knock-out stage of the competition. 

The draw was though hit by controversy. It was conducted by social media influencer GK Barry alongside her girlfriend, the Portsmouth midfielder Ella Rutherford. When pulling out Spurs’s name from the bag, GK Barry was heard saying the mocking chant “what do we think of Tottenham?” According to the BBC’s Emma Sanders, WSL Football has apologised to the club.

Furthermore, a ball with a team’s name seemed to be dropped out of the bag and then pulled out again. Sanders reported that had it not been the same ball taken out, the draw would have been redone. However, one team has asked to see the footage.

None of it is a great look for a competition that is struggling for credibility and coverage.

Subway Cup Draw

Quarter-final:

• Liverpool v Chelsea
• Crystal Palace v Arsenal
• Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur
• West Ham United v Manchester City

Semi-final:

• Crystal Palace/Arsenal v Manchester United/Tottenham Hotspur
• West Ham United/Manchester City v Liverpool/Chelsea 

Signe Gaupset has signed a deal with Spurs. [Image Credit: Tottenham Hotspur Football Club]

After previous speculation, Spurs confirmed Friday that Signe Gaupset will be joining the club from SK Brann. The 20-year-old attacking midfielder, will become a Tottenham Hotspur Women’s player on 1 January, 2026, subject to international clearance and a work permit. The deal is described as “long term” and will see Gaupset wear the lily white number 8 shirt.

The Norwegian International previously worked with Spurs Head Coach Martin Ho when he was at SK Brann. “I know Martin [Ho] as a coach and I know what to expect,” she said. “We worked really well together. He demands a lot, but I like that, I think he can get even more out of me.” 

Ho added: “Signe offers genuine invention in possession, explosiveness in duels and a top-level ability to shift momentum in 1v1 moments. She has the intelligence to connect the game, the athleticism to drive forward with purpose, and the mentality to influence the standards around her. These are qualities that align fully with the identity we’re building and the demands of our style.”

This is a really exciting signing. Gaupset is considered one of the hottest young prospects in European women’s football. She can play both in the middle and on the wing, the latter being an area of growing frustration at Tottenham.

The club teased the signing on X, describing it as “an early Christmas present” for fans. Gaupset could make her debut the game against Leicester at Brisbane Road, scheduled for Sunday, 11th January, 2026. 

Signe Gaupset’s Story

Gaupset made her debut aged just 16 and scored as SK Brann, known previously as  IL Sandviken, beat Asane in the Norwegian Cup. She made 10 further senior appearances that campaign. In 2022, she went on to help SK Brann win the cup. 

In 2023, now working with Ho, she appeared in the Champions League aged 18. During that campaign she scored against Lyon and helped SK Brann get to the knockout stages for the first time. Gaupset scored seven goals for SK Brann in the 2024 season, helping the club finish second.

In the 2025 season, she kicked-on once again, netting 15 goals and contributing 12 assists in 26 Toppserien, appearances.. Her team won the title, and Gaupset was named named the league’s 2025 Player of the Year.

Gaupset made her senior debut for Norway against Croatia in February last year and did enough to get into Gemma Grainger’s squad for EURO 2025. The standout of her three appearances in the tournament featured a brace in a group match against Iceland. She was also nominated for the Golden Girl Trophy.

Signe Gaupset in action for SK Brann. She could be on her way to Spurs.

Update 21 November, 2025 – Gaupset Signs

Eveliina Summanen’s free-kick against London City Lionesses has been nominated for WSL Goal of the Month for November. The Finn found the net on 69 minutes. 

The stunning strike was Spurs Women’s second equaliser in the game. However, it was not enough to get the team any points, as the hosts scored two subsequent goals. The result was highly frustrating, but there is no doubting the quality of Summanen’s goal. 

Alessia Russo and Drew Spance in the Spurs vs Arenal game in WSL

The managers’ post-match reaction revealed all you need to know about the Spurs vs Arsenal WSL result. Tottenham head coach Martin Ho came bounding towards the shivering hack pack, shaking hands with everyone. Meanwhile, Arsenal boss Renee Slegers took a long time to come over and stood with arms crossed as she answered questions. 

There is no doubt that this is a far better result for the hosts than the visitors. Never mind the need to get something after a terrible result at London City Lionesses last week, Spurs had to prove they were not returning to the bad old days of always losing to the “big four”.

This wasn’t a pretty Spurs performance. Daphne van Domselaar wasn’t forced to make lots of big saves to keep Arsenal in it. The Gunners had 13 shots in total, four on target, compared to just four total shots by Ho’s team. 

It was a tough, gritty performance though. This was personified by Drew Spence, who battled throughout and was rightly named Player of the Match. “Drew maybe goes under the radar a little bit because maybe she’s not as flashy with the ball,” said Ho of the Jamaica international. “But technically, tactically… her wining mentality is phenomenal. She sets a real tone for us.”

The manager also explained that Spence is amongst the senior players that can be used for.. game management. “I felt like we had to be a little bit more smarter and game smart and that’s just game craft. That’s with a little bit of experience with some players and you maybe see like Drew, Beth, Martha, they kind of have that in terms of how to kill the game, how to slow it down, when to kind of work the ball down the sides,” he said.

As for Slegers, she acknowledged that “Tottenham are much stronger this year than last year.” Furthermore, she said that the home side “have a more aggressive pressing structure, they can do it physically and are very brave on the ball when they build.’ It was noticeable that stars like Alessia Russo, whilst always dangerous, were largely kept quiet during the game. Stina Blackstenius was the standout Gunner.

Spurs vs Arsenal WSL Vibes

Of course, the point is a good result for Tottenham Hotspur Women. It was hard-fought and deserved. However, there are still plenty of areas in which they team can improve. Most noticeably, the crossing is not good enough. Jess Naz and Matilda Vinberg are the main culprits of this. (We discussed it on Hometown Glory after the game.) Also, Olivia Holdt is really, really good.

While the end result was fine, I confess I still can’t quite get my head around the starting 11 or, indeed, the substitutions. Tinka Tandberg once again started, with Bethany England on the bench.  Tandberg is excellent and battled hard up front, but I’m confused about any Spurs starting 11 that doesn’t have Bethany England in it. The skipper did not come on until the 64th minute. 

Martha Thomas came on too. The Scotland forward was busy but wasted what was perhaps Tottenham’s best chance. Cutting in from the right-hand channel, she blazed her shot over instead of hitting the target or cutting it back to England, It was extra time and a bit more calmness and quality could have seen Spurs take all three points. 

As the minutes ticked by, it became torturous. The home fans realised they were getting closer to a really meaningful point. The away fans were getting ever more frustrated. (Indeed, so were the players. Katie McCabe, on a booking, had to be removed at half time.) At the final whist, it felt like Spurs had won.

And that’s why not losing again was so important. The fans and players could head into the League Cup game and then international break with some positivity. Never has there been a more joyous 0-0 home draw.

Martin Ho Reacts

Here is what Martin Ho said to journalists following the Spurs 0 – 0 Arsenal match on Sunday, 16th November 2025.