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HOW BAD WAS IT: THOMAS FRANK APOLOGIZES FOR PAINFUL DEFEAT TO RIVALS ARSENAL NOW

Thomas Frank and Guglielmo Vicario apologised to Tottenham fans after a "unacceptable" 4-1 derby loss to Arsenal. Both manager and goalkeeper admitted the team lacked fight and intensity in a dismal performance.

How Bad Was It: Thomas Frank Apologizes For Painful Defeat To Rivals Arsenal Now
FRANK SAYS SORRY NOW

After Tottenham's 4-1 loss to Arsenal in the north London derby, manager Thomas Frank and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario said sorry to Spurs fans. They felt the team just didn't show enough fight.

Frank said the game was extremely painful, as Eberechi Eze scored an incredible hat trick. Richarlison's long shot was Tottenham's only real threat.

Vicario didn't blame tactics, even though Frank switched to a defensive formation. He admitted the players simply didn't battle hard enough.

Since Frank took over from Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham has lost to Arsenal and Chelsea. In those games, they struggled to score or create good chances.

It was a bad showing, Frank said. The game went completely against what we wanted. We can only say sorry to the fans. We didn't win enough battles, so the result was exemplified by Arsenal's second and third goals, where one of their players beat two or three of our players.

I've seen this team show a lot of character before, but we didn't win enough battles. Whatever we want to call it, the fact is, we didn't win enough. I tried a 5-4-1 formation, and I take responsibility for that choice. We switched it up at halftime.

“But no matter the formation, we didn't have enough fight or intensity in the important moments, and with Arsenal, it is hard to win. I need to look at the goals more closely. I'm going to have a tough time watching the whole game again tonight. We weren't aggressive when we could have been, and they just played around us.”

Tottenham needs to bounce back when they play Paris Saint-Germain, and Vicario said the team was too passive against Arsenal.

It was a really bad night. We have to apologise to our fans, who support us every day,” Vicario said. “They wanted us to fight, and we didn't. That's never acceptable in football at this level.

Very bad loss, but we have to stick together as we have a big game. We didn’t show what we can do tonight.

Emotions are high, but we need to keep calm and, again, apologise to the fans who travelled here. We waited too long to get into the game. We were too passive.

“The game plan we had didn't work. We didn't fight today, and we have to say sorry for that. But we need to stay united and move forward.

Vicario didn't blame Arsenal's first goal for the loss. He thought the offside Arsenal players blocked his view. The goal was checked by VAR but confirmed, and Vicario said, “I don't think it would have changed the game.

“There were three people in front of me, so of course, they blocked me. But that's not why we lost.

Ex-Tottenham striker Les Ferdinand was really critical of Tottenham's performance, saying they looked weak.

We just didn't compete. Derbies are hostile and fierce. It just wasn't there today,” Ferdinand said on Sky Sports. “They didn't compete at all.

If you're a Spurs fan, you're frustrated. We're talking about playing the league's best team. You want to put up a fight. We just gave up and got rolled over.

WEST HAM’S JANUARY OVERHAUL CONTINUES AS ANDREAS SCHJELDERUP TALKS FOLLOW CASTELLANOS AND PABLO

The Hammers are the busiest team in January. Discover the latest on the plan to pair Schjelderup with new signing Taty Castellanos.

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West Ham joins the race for Andreas Schjelderup

Gianluca Di Marzio reports that West Ham United are in the running to sign Andreas Schjelderup this month. The London club has already discussed a possible transfer for the attacker, since Nuno Espirito Santo wants to bring in wide players this month after getting strikers in the first few days of January.

West Ham United are trying hard this month to strengthen its team and improve its chances of avoiding relegation. The Hammers are currently 18th in the league, seven points from safety, so Nuno Espírito Santo has a tough job.

The Hammers have already signed Taty Castellanos from Lazio and Pablo from Gil Vicente, which fixes their striker problem. Callum Wilson will probably leave, since West Ham is talking about ending his contract early.

Espirito Santo will now focus on getting wide attackers, with plans to sign players for both wings. Fulham’s Adama Traore is a target, and the Hammers might be able to sign the Spanish winger. There are worries about Crysencio Summerville's form, so Espirito Santo might consider a different player to compete with him on the left.

Several players have been mentioned, with 21-year-old winger Andreas Schjelderup being the latest. The Benfica player is expected to leave this month, with growing interest from other clubs, including Italian side Parma.

West Ham have reportedly talked about signing the 21-year-old winger, with Benfica possibly viewing the Norwegian as expendable. If the Portuguese club gets a good offer, they might consider selling him, since the Norwegian might be interested in playing in the Premier League.

There might be some worries about joining West Ham given their difficult situation in the Premier League. But the 21-year-old winger might see this move as a chance to prove himself in the Premier League, meaning he might be open to joining the London team.

ASTON VILLA LAUNCH MOVE FOR MLS STARLET GOZO TO BOLSTER YOUTH RANKS

Aston Villa are looking to the MLS for its next star. Get the latest details on the enquiry for Real Salt Lake's Zavier Gozo.

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18-year-old Zavier Gozo is on Aston Villa's radar

Unai Emery and his team are on the hunt for fresh young talent, and now their search has brought them to Major League Soccer. According to transfer insider Matteo Moretto, Aston Villa recently reached out to Real Salt Lake about their promising forward, Zavier Gozo.

Villa’s interest in Gozo isn’t just talk—they actually contacted the staff in Utah to see what it would take to bring the 18-year-old to Birmingham. They see real potential in him and want to develop him in their academy. This isn’t just some distant scouting mission. It fits perfectly with Villa’s bigger strategy: sign top young players before their value skyrockets in Europe.

Gozo’s made a name for himself in Real Salt Lake’s youth system and has already broken into the first team. He’s also caught the eye of scouts across Europe with his performances for the USA U20s.

Talks are still early, but Villa clearly think Gozo could one day push for first-team minutes. Since Emery arrived, the club has put serious effort into signing young prospects. Bringing in a quick North American forward fits right in with the way they want to play. Fans will see this as another sign of Villa’s ambition to build a winning team for the long haul.

So, why does Emery want this American speedster? Gozo’s got the right tools for English football—he’s fast, direct, and can play out wide or through the middle. He loves running at defenders and creating chances, which is exactly what Emery wants from his wide players. Gozo’s already shown at MLS NEXT Pro and the senior MLS level that he’s got the energy and movement. Villa rely on counter-attacks. On top of that, he works hard off the ball, pressing from the front—something Emery always asks of his attackers.

Of course, there’s the question of whether Gozo’s ready for the physical side of the Premier League. The jump from MLS is tough, and he’ll probably need time with the U21s or maybe a loan before he’s ready for the first team.

Still, this move just makes sense for Villa’s future. Emery has proven he can develop raw talent into reliable players for his system. If they sign Gozo now, they get a young player they can shape without any rush for immediate results.

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