Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers: 5 talking points as Kane makes the difference for unbeaten Spurs | Premier League 2022-23
Harry Kane’s second-half strike helped Tottenham Hotspur beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 in a tight Premier League encounter on Saturday, August 20.
With goal-scoring opportunities hard to come by for both sides, Wolves had the upper hand in the first half. However, Tottenham upped the intensity after the break and went ahead in the 64th minute through a close-range header from Kane.
The hosts then held firm to preserve their clean sheet and claim the three points, rising to the top of the table. Their opponents, on the other hand, occupy the 16th spot in the standings.
Harry Kane’s landmark goal seals the win for @SpursOfficial ⚪️
#TOTWOL https://t.co/Hyst2fjUU8
On that note, here are the five major talking points from the game.
#1 Both managers are taking a contrasting approach towards new signings
While their respective starts to the season factor into the decision, Tottenham and Wolves have taken markedly different approaches in dealing with new signings. While Antonio Conte has opted to embed his new players gradually, Bruno Lage has asked his new recruits to make an immediate impact on the pitch.
As such, Ivan Perisic was Spurs’ first summer signing to be handed a start against Wolves, with the Croatian featuring at left wing-back.
Richarlison and Yves Bissouma came on in the second half with Conte seeming to favor last season’s tried and tested players to begin with.
Ivan Perišić for Tottenham vs. Wolves:
◉ Most duels won (7)
◉ Most tackles (5)
◉= Most chances created (3)
◉ Most assists (1)
Assists in back-to-back games for the Croatian. 🇭🇷 https://t.co/PpMExCm2An
For Wolves, Matheus Nunes slotted into the midfield barely two days after arriving from Sporting CP. Fellow newcomer Goncalo Guedes also made his first start, while Nathan Collins has been an ever-present in defense this season.
All four summer signings who started the game impressed and are likely to feature prominently for their respective sides as the season progresses.
#2 Tottenham Hotspur have been slow starters this season
Despite their unbeaten start to the season, a definite area of improvement for Tottenham has been how they have started games. They conceded first in their first two games of the season and had to come from behind to register positive results.
The north London outfit struggled in the first half against Wolves as well, with the visitors creating by far the better chances. An improved showing in the second half secured the win, but Conte will be looking for better performances from the start in the future.