The Lab (Tottenham Hotspur Podcast)

We stop doing the “everyone’s rubbish” routine and actually audit the squad. What’s a genuine upgrade, what’s just frustration, and who simply doesn’t fit. Vicario and the modern keeper problem, Dragusin as the obvious sale, Udogie’s injuries, Porro’s trade off, midfield balance (and the Paulinha debate), the Kulusevski and Maddison contract time bomb, and why Tel is the one attacker we’re building around. Plus, we end with the uncomfortable truth: even if you bin Richarlison and send Kolo Muani back, you still need a proper number nine, and Jon’s punt is Osimhen.

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We’re back with Harry Brooks and we get stuck into Conor Gallagher to Spurs, why he’s basically plug and play, and why managers love him. We talk about what he actually gives Spurs off the ball, how he can become the press trigger we’ve been missing, and why his engine and discipline make him such a reliable week to week performer. There’s also a bit on Valiz likely heading back to Brazil, a quick Souza check in, and the bigger question of squad balance and what this means for Sarr, Gray and Bergvall. Plus, yes, Villa fans catching strays after Gallagher picks Spurs.

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“Brazilian fans are brutal… the training ground is being invaded… any kind of malcontent he will see in N17, he’s already been through it all in Santos.”

We’re joined by South American football expert Tim Vickery as Spurs close in on 19-year-old Santos left-back Joao Souza. Tim explains why fans feel trepidation about South American imports, then makes the case for why this one’s different: Souza came through a brutal relegation scrap with training-ground invasions and still stood out because he doesn’t hide. We talk rawness vs readiness, how he compares to Udogie, what his game looks like (driving runs, cutting in or going outside, low deliveries), and whether Spurs should throw him in immediately. Plus Brazil’s wider issues at full-back and central midfield, and a big Richarlison chat about Ancelotti, and criticism in Brazil.

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We sit down with The Athletic's Dan Kilpatrick to talk about the weird new Spurs emotion: numbness. Dan explains how a decade in the press box switched off the “fan brain”, why he’s now trying to work out what kind of supporter he even wants to be, and why watching Spurs can feel like booking time off just to be annoyed. From Romero’s captaincy posts and the club’s outside image, to Frank’s grip on the squad, the lack of leadership, and the muddled structure behind the scenes, it’s a proper zoomed out look at a club that feels riddled with

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We’re back with Anatole Pang to talk about the bit of Spurs you never really see: the structure, the decision-making, and why everything keeps looping back to the manager taking the heat. We get into the missing director of football role, how long proper turnarounds actually take, why the squad feels like it was built without a plan, and what has to change in the next 6 to 12 months if Spurs want a real football identity again.

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