Brighton 1-3 Spurs (WSL) | Robert’s verdict: “Even if they score, we just keep playing”
Sun 15 October 2023, 20:08|
Tottenham Hotspur
Robert Vilahamn was delighted with the performance shown by his players as we brushed off the early setback of conceding a goal to run out deserved 3-1 winners at Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.
Starting on the front foot at the AMEX Stadium, we suffered a blow inside eight minutes when the Seagulls’ Elisabeth Terland scored with a glancing header from a corner.
But we continued to play well and create chances and it came as little surprise when Martha Thomas equalised on the stroke of half-time with her fourth goal in four games since joining us on transfer deadline day. Grace Clinton subsequently fired us ahead with a spectacular strike from distance, before substitute Ria Percival finished the game off with a deflected third in stoppage time.
For Head Coach Robert, our mentality after conceding was important to the eventual outcome. He told SPURSPLAY: “It’s been a good week with a lot of beautiful goals and this game was a tough one against Brighton, but I think the girls were brilliant today – they played the style we want to play from minute one and even if they scored a goal after a few minutes, we just kept popping the ball around, playing, find spaces and creating chances, so I’m very pleased with the performance.
Even if they scored a goal after a few minutes, we just kept popping the ball around, playing, find spaces and creating chances.
“This is the process – we don’t want to work so much about the result or the goals, we want to work on the performance, how we’re going to play in the Spurs way and how we’re going to continue doing that. We’re doing that and even if they score, it doesn’t affect us, we just keep playing and with the subs coming on and taking over… I’m very pleased with the performance today.”
Our first two goals came from summer signings, but Robert insisted that it’s not just the new blood in the squad that has contributed to our encouraging start to the season, which has seen us win three consecutive games in all competitions since a narrow opening-day defeat at Chelsea.
“The new players really give us something new for this group – I’m a new coach here but even the existing players are making sure that they are developing,” he said. “Look at Becky (Spencer) in goal, she’s brilliant with her feet and I don’t think any other goalkeeper in the league can have that footwork, and Luana (Buhler) taking steps as well. The new players, the old ones, the young ones... everybody is performing and doing it and I just love it.”
