Spurs exhibit “High Standard, High Expectation” Mentality as Ho previews dynamic Liverpool Clash

Composure from the first whistle. A Kirsty Hanson hattrick on debut. Free flowing, fast-paced football. Tottenham Hotspur’s season opener had it all.

Now, the Lilywhites must remain grounded and look towards their first away trip of the 2026/27 Barclays Women’s Super League campaign against an in-form Reds side. Liverpool will host Spurs in a clash expected to be feisty, competitive, and fuelled by passion, ambition and emotion.

Martin Ho addressed the media ahead of Sunday’s contest, outlining team news, Hanson’s debut to remember, a new mentality and competition at Hotspur Way, and the club’s season-long goals and objectives.

Team News

Regarding team selection for Sunday’s away trip, the head coach confirmed team news almost remains the same.

Long-term absentees Jess Naz and Maite Oroz remain sidelined, although progressing well in their ACL recoveries and rehabilitation. Whilst Lenna Gunning-Williams is also unavailable for selection as she navigates her gradual return to the pitch. 

Lyon wonderkid, Alice Sombath could be set to make her first Spurs appearance subject to being fully ready and adapted to the intensity of the league. There was emphasis, however, that there is no desire to rush her to be ready this weekend, as she will certainly be in contention for the following weekend’s journey to Selhurst Park:

“Yeah, potentially, I think we've got to see. She's trained fully Tuesday; Wednesday and we’ll see what she does today. She’s due to train fully again today. But I'm not someone who's going to push people through, when they're just coming back and back to full training in terms of building it up, I'm not going to push it through anything.

So, I'll make a conscious decision of what's right for her and what's right for us. But she's back in full training. So, we'll see where that lies then with the squad going into the weekend.”

A Debut to Remember

New signing, Kirsty Hanson scored a brace on her debut bringing life to the Tottenham attack. Ho praised the attacker for fitting into the squad so quickly, and showcasing what she can do from her competitive debut:

“As a person I have had no doubts she would fit in. Her character, the way she is as a professional, very structured and organised in terms of what she does. So, I've no doubt she would fit in from that perspective.  

I think what's being probably pleased to see is her adaptation to playing style, different training environment, building relationships and connections with players around them. Really, really fluidly. So, it’s been nice to see, and I think now the more and more Kirsty gets clear understanding, more clarity of the people around her.”

However, Ho was certain that the Scottish winger is only just getting started in a Tottenham shirt and the best is yet to come:

“I think you'll see a much better Kirsty, the answer moving forward.”

When asked about what exactly she brings to the club, Ho again reminded that she adds so much quality both with her goalscoring ability and her movement and physicality off the ball.

“Goals that you see in the weekend, I think, even when she's not at a fluid, the best which she wants to be on, she can still score. So, if you give it a chance, she will score. If you give a half a yard, she will score. But what she definitely adds is a different creativity and a different dynamic to how we attack.”

A Bright Season Opener

In his post-match interview following Sunday’s opening day victory, Ho expressed how disappointed the group would be to be denied a clean sheet towards the end of the match. This is a sign of their high standards and the mentality embodied within the squad and staff:

“I think it's just a high standard, high expectation for what the players expect, what we expect. Maybe the mentality of where we move from. You’re happy with 3 points. First game of the season. You want to get off on a good one, but I think there's definitely expectations for us, especially defensively. To make sure that we defend those situations better. As a collective, we own it.”

Throughout preseason, the tempo was raised to match the higher stakes in the WSL this season. The challenge is then applying these new levels into fixtures, with confidence being key to successful execution:

“If you want to be competitive, you have to be forceful. You have to be dominant. You have to be very good one by one. And we've just tried to lift those levels. a little bit in the preseason in terms of to make us more competitive and worked on aspects that will make us more competitive.

Then to try and apply that is the difficult part because you can do it in a non-pressured environment and training. But when you get to a game to be able to still do that and back yourself to do it, sometimes there's a confidence thing.”

A New Mentality and Competition from Hotspur Way

Following the summer break with multiple new faces linking up in North London, now the squad are focused on consistency and continuity in performances:

“I think what we can expect is more continuity in terms of the level of performance individually. But I think the players, since the first game, through the day, have dealt with it well.” 

With huge competition on the training pitch for a place in the starting lineup comes a wider understanding that every player contributes to the long-term outcome and development. Ho emphasised that every player trains to compete for minutes, but are reminded that everyone plays a part in their success:

“I think we are now a very competitive squad, so everyone wants to play. Everyone wants to be on the pitch. You can only pick an eleven that you feel is going to start the game, but you'll actually finish differently with when you make changes.

So, I think that's added big value to us. I think the players understand now. In terms of as a collective, whether you start or you finish the game or you come into the game or you don't contribute, you contribute in a way of preparing a team for that weekend.”

Previewing the Trip to St Helens

The head coach was complimentary of Gareth Taylor’s Liverpool side, recognising that Spurs need to work hard to break them down and leave with the three points:

“I enjoy watching them play, like the idea they have. Very aggressive off the ball and very dynamic with that. High mid pressure, and then with the ball very fluid, organised efficient, positionally very, very good. You can see the organisation they've got. But again, you have to make sure that you, on your day, you stop them.” 

The last time Spurs faced Liverpool, Mia Enderby cut the celebrations short with two stoppage time goals. This time, Ho is adamant his squad are equipped with the potential to prevent this, should they follow the game plan and back themselves: 

“We need to make sure that we start the game quicker, we're more organised. With the ball, more fluid and more disciplined with that. We show them respect because they're a good team, but we focus on ourselves and I think if we get our game in a place where we know we can, I think we'll put ourselves in a good position to compete in the game. If we don't, then it can be a long day.”

The Advantages of “knowing the league”

It seems apparent that there is an advantage to recruiting players from WSL rivals, as they already know the intensity and physicality present within the topflight. Players such as Hanson and Shekeira Martinez have already cemented their place in the league, allowing them to adapt to the Tottenham ways quickly:

“I think Kirsty’s understanding what it's like as a WSL player. Probably gives that advantage over some others.”

Ho expressed that despite having watched the WSL repeatedly, there is no real experience than stepping on the pitch for your first league match in England against some of the best in the world:

“Whereas the new players coming in, you can watch it. But until you actually get on the pitch and you play in a game, you really get a feel for what it's like. And you're playing a game to world-class players every week. If you look at the recruitment from some of the teams, including ourselves, the quality that's coming into the league now is very, very high end.”

The known Push for Champions League Qualification

There is no doubt that the club have their heart set on a new best finish in the topflight, with a Champions League qualification place in sight.

Whilst Ho believes the players must be as ambitious as they feel possible for their personal goals, there are goals and objectives set out ahead of the season that ensure everyone is on the same page in terms of playing towards an end goal of success:

“We have internal objectives and kind of ambitions that we'll have as a club, working towards certain things. I think the players, I will never put a ceiling on the players, kind of ambitions and kind of objectives because it's their own ambitions.

But internally, we have our own, as I said, our own objectives to hit and I always say if we perform well in a season, you end up where your results tell you you end up.

Do we want to push you and be competitive for what are those top 3 sports 100% we do? Do we want to compete in the cup conversations 100%? We do.”

Tottenham Hotspur travel to St Helens where they will face top-of-the-table Liverpool in a tight clash between two ambitious sides. Will Ho’s Lilywhites continue their impressive start and demonstrate the free-flowing football that has captured attention league-wide, or will the Reds open their home campaign with three points?