Fraser: “Togetherness is huge for us... it’s going to be a real squad effort this month”

Fraser Forster underlined the importance of the squad game as we prepare for match four of a schedule of 11 in 36 days until the New Year.

Indeed, the goalkeeper is providing the perfect example of that squad game after taking over between the sticks from injured Guglielmo Vicario, who fractured his ankle in our 4-0 win at Manchester City on 23 November. Fraser was outstanding as we fought out a 1-1 draw against Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday - his 475th career appearance.

Unfortunately, Vic isn’t the only player sidelined - Dominic Solanke’s late withdrawal ahead of Sunday’s clash made it eight regulars missing, seven injured, one suspended. That means less opportunity for Ange Postecoglou to shuffle his pack and therefore increasing the sheer physical effort required of the players out there. As Ange said on Sunday: “It’s a challenge, but credit to the lads. The players out there are giving everything.”

The players have spoken about ‘family’ recently, particularly at the Etihad, and it was put to Fraser how important that togetherness was going to be with players digging deep in this busy schedule.

“Huge, it’s got to be a real squad effort over the next month,” Fraser told us on our Review Show, after his outstanding display against the Cottagers. “It's an incredible schedule of games and obviously it's a tough one when Dom’s ill today, that’s one you're not really expecting, but you have to kind of deal with it, and it’s an opportunity for someone else.

“But it’s going to be a real squad game, we might have to grind out results and you know it's going to be a big ask for everyone. Ultimately though, we all love playing football, playing games, so we have to just embrace the challenge. There is a huge game every three, four days. You just have to go again and try to win.”

Fraser needed to be at his best to keep out Raul Jimenez, Alex Iwobi and Issa Diop as Fulham provided the test everyone expected at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Brennan Johnson finally broke through for us after 54 minutes, but Tom Cairney drilled home the equaliser on 67 minutes and despite Fulham going down to 10 men late on with Cairney sent off, we couldn’t find our rhythm in a fractured, frustrating last 10 minutes.

Asked about his display and the team’s general performance, Fraser said: “I feel good. It obviously makes a difference when you play a few games in a row as opposed to one game in and out every couple of weeks, it’s hard to get that momentum.

“As I said, I feel good, I look after myself physically and made a few saves, it was just frustrating we couldn't get the win. I thought we moved the ball well, showed real grit and determination and defended really well as a unit, maybe we were just lacking that final pass, that final action to get the second goal. You have to give credit to Fulham, as well.”