Tottenham's Unbeaten Preseason Ends in Draw with Hoffenheim

Tottenham closed out an unbeaten preseason with a 2-2 draw against TSG Hoffenheim at their training ground, a low-key rematch less than 24 hours after a 3-0 win over the same opponents. The scoreline was different, the setting more relaxed, but the afternoon still delivered clues about Roberto De Zerbi’s plans – and a few nagging concerns.

Hoffenheim struck first from the spot after James Maddison, rusty and deep in his own half, was robbed by Leon Avdullahu and then hauled the winger down. Adam Hlozek converted. Spurs responded before the interval through Ben Davies and the excellent Luca Williams-Barnett, only for Valentin Gendry’s thumping second-half volley to restore parity and end Tottenham’s summer with a draw.

Unbeaten, yes. Unfinished, definitely.

Absentees return, squad thickens

The headline before kick-off was who did play. Maddison, Pape Matar Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur, Souza and Damola Ajayi all made their first appearances of preseason. Kevin Danso and Mateus Fernandes, who had been eased in previously, also started.

For De Zerbi, this was less about rhythm and more about roll call. Several players who had either been missing or limited finally got minutes, a timely boost with the Premier League opener looming. The XI looked stronger on paper, and the bench deeper, than at any point this summer.

It hinted at a weekend squad with more balance and more options. At least in theory.

A ‘Frankensquad’ with no striker

Look at the lineup once and it felt experimental. Look twice and it bordered on chaotic. De Zerbi named what felt like a small army of central midfielders: Fernandes and Bentancur in the pivot, Sarr pushed up as a No 10, Maddison as a false nine, Williams-Barnett and Ajayi wide. No recognised centre-forward.

Despite the personnel, the shape stayed familiar – a nominal 4-2-3-1. The execution, less so. Maddison drifted constantly into deeper pockets to help build play, often occupying the same zones Sarr wanted. The result was a congested middle and a front line that occasionally looked like it had been assembled out of spare parts.

Still, this was preseason problem-solving. De Zerbi clearly wanted minutes into legs more than pristine structure. With limited attacking options available, this was the compromise.

The Micky van de Ven question

One name remained absent from the team sheet: Micky van de Ven. That silence is starting to echo.

The Dutch defender has yet to play a single minute this preseason. Others who returned late from international duty – and, in some cases, went deeper into the World Cup – have already featured. Van de Ven has not, and with his injury history, the assumption is hard to avoid: there is a knock, or at least a concern, being managed behind the scenes.

Spurs can mask certain absences. His is not one of them. If he is not ready for the start of the season, the defensive ceiling drops immediately.

Hoffenheim press the weak spots

Hoffenheim had clearly done their homework. Just as in the 3-0 defeat on Saturday, they pressed high, eager to punish Tottenham’s insistence on building from the back.

Their focus was sharp: right-back Tye Hall and goalkeeper Brandon Austin were repeatedly targeted. Both were less secure on the ball than those around them and Hoffenheim pounced, often holding their press until Austin tried to thread a pass into midfield. Any touch that was even slightly loose became a trigger.

The penalty came from that exact pattern. Maddison dropped deep to collect from Austin, Avdullahu snapped in, stole it, and the England international’s response was a desperate tug. Hlozek did the rest from the spot.

Preseason or not, opponents will have watched that sequence on repeat.

Maddison’s rust on show

Maddison’s return was a welcome sight. His performance was a reminder that match sharpness cannot be rushed.

There were flashes – a clever pass here, a neat combination there – but he drifted in and out of the game and never quite dictated it. The error for the penalty summed up his afternoon: dropping into traffic, misjudging the pressure, then compounding the mistake with a clumsy foul.

He still sees pictures others don’t. The legs and timing need to catch up with the brain. That will come, but Tottenham will need him closer to full tilt very quickly.

Mateus Fernandes opens his range

For 45 minutes, Mateus Fernandes kept things relatively simple. The aggression in his passing, which has already become a hallmark, was muted early on. What did stand out was his delivery in the final third.

One low cross from the right skimmed just in front of a sliding Sarr. Then, from a short corner routine, Fernandes whipped in a teasing ball that Davies met with a firm header to level the score.

After the break, the game opened up and Fernandes finally started to show his full repertoire. Crossfield switches, drilled and lofted, repeatedly stretched Hoffenheim from touchline to touchline. Those “pings” cut through the structure and changed the rhythm of Spurs’ attacks.

Given how short Tottenham were on progressive passing last season, that kind of range could become a genuine weapon.

Safe hands, strong trio

Austin’s afternoon began under pressure from Hoffenheim’s press, but with the ball not at his feet, he impressed. He made a sharp save at his near post from a Nathan De Cat flick and then stood up brilliantly when Adam Daghim burst through one-on-one.

He is nominally Spurs’ third-choice goalkeeper, behind Guglielmo Vicario and Martin Dubravka, with Antonin Kinsky also in the mix. None of them are yet in the “elite” bracket, though Kinsky’s ceiling is high, but as a group they look as complete and competitive as any goalkeeping unit in the league.

Austin did his case no harm at all.

Williams-Barnett takes centre stage

On a messy afternoon, one player cut through the noise. Luca Williams-Barnett again looked like he belonged at this level – and then some.

He repeatedly isolated and beat Vladimir Coufal, gliding past him with the kind of ease that makes full-backs question their life choices. Earlier in the tour, he had sometimes run into blind alleys, head down, chasing the spectacular. This time, the end product matched the dribbling.

Once he had his man beaten, he picked his passes: sharp, incisive balls into dangerous areas rather than hopeful shots. The goal was the perfect example of his growing composure. After a brilliant Sarr dribble and reverse pass, Williams-Barnett arrived and, without fuss, passed the ball first time into the far corner. Clean, calm, clinical.

He is not ready for a loan yet, and Spurs are short of depth in attacking positions. Performances like this will only push him closer to meaningful senior minutes.

New faces, new stories

De Zerbi’s preseason has already leaned heavily on academy talent, but this game introduced a few names even the youth-watchers might have double-checked.

On the bench sat 15-year-old Mikel Jack, son of former Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper Kelvin Jack, without even a squad number to his name. Reiss Elliot-Parris and Miracle Adewole also stepped onto the pitch in Lilywhite for the first time.

Neither of the 18-year-olds altered the contest, but that wasn’t the point. These are the first steps, the debuts you remember if the careers take off.

Managing minutes, building a base

The pattern of De Zerbi’s preseason held. Fitness first, fluency second.

Maddison was withdrawn at half-time for Elliot-Parris, who at least offered the profile of an actual striker. Souza and Ajayi, both returning from injury, were carefully managed and came off around the 70-minute mark.

At the other end of the spectrum, Fernandes completed the full 90 minutes, a significant milestone for a summer signing. Sarr and Williams-Barnett also logged heavy shifts, only departing late on.

With mostly one game a week on the horizon, Tottenham look well-conditioned, if not yet fully polished. The legs are there. The ideas are forming. The question now is simple: when the real stuff starts, will this unbeaten preseason prove a platform – or a false comfort?