Robert Vilahamn was full of praise for Drew Spence after Tottenham Hotspur's 1-1 draw with Everton, suggesting the playmaker 'can see stuff nobody else can' in the Women's Super League.
The Jamaican was at the heart of Tottenham's transition and attacking threat against Everton, consistently combining with Celin Bizet and Jessica Naz. Cutting through the Merseyside team like a knife through butter, the 31-year-old is a name synonymous with the WSL after over 190 appearances for Chelsea, but Vilahamn is still full of praise for her.
Everton were awarded a controversial penalty with five minutes remaining as Heather Payne bundled to the ground. Vilahamn refused to comment on the decision post-match.
"I need to see it again. I’m not going to blame the referee," he stated.
Vilahamn also provided an update on what he wants to do with Grace Clinton next season, whilst highlighting how Spurs plan to improve in the coming weeks.
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"She can see stuff nobody else can see"
Spence struggled to make an impact last season, despite featuring in every match. Three goals and two assists in 22 matches epitomised Spurs' struggles in front of goal, yet the 31-year-old is enjoying a renaissance under Vilahamn.
As Bonfire Night sparked into life, it was Spence who was firing past the Everton midfield, combining with goalscorer Clinton with a well-placed cross. Vilahamn was quick to praise Spence post-match, stating how she is a 'brilliant player'.
“The game understanding [Spence has] is the best in the league. She can see stuff nobody else can see. She can handle the ball as well, so when she’s sharp, she gives us so many options. Then it’s more about the last third and she can shoot.
"How she can create more chances to score more goals. But for me, she’s a brilliant player and fits into the way we play because she’s such a good footballer. Grace [Clinton], Martha [Thomas] and Celin [Bizet] take care of that because they know they’ll get the ball back," he told VAVEL.
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"We need to score more goals"
Tottenham had the opportunity to make it four wins in a row in the WSL. It looked like that dream would become reality with just ten minutes remaining, but they were cruelly denied victory by Aurora Galli.
Spurs had several chances to extend their lead, but they lacked the clinical edge in the box. Vilahamn was disappointed not to win, whilst insisting he is happy with the start to the season.
He said: “You always want to win and we had it [in our grasp]. We actually went for a second one and then suddenly they get a penalty and it’s 1-1. But we need to score more goals as well [so] we can not blame anyone but ourselves. In the second half, we played really good football and created good chances, so [I'm] pleased with a part of the game, but we need to develop and score more goals.
"Ten points in the first five games. That’s okay, right? When you look at how we played, Everton were sixth last season, so they’re one of the teams we want to be above this year. Now we can see we play much better than them, but they still found a way to get a point.
"You get those games where you don’t score two or three and we need to learn from that. The main thing we need to learn today is that the first half was not great. The players were a little bit tired and you can see that from the first 25/30 minutes. The last 15 [in the first half] and the second half were much better. We’re not really consistent yet so we need to know how to deal with that off the back of international camps."
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"I want to keep her here"
Grace Clinton gracefully walked into her latest challenge in N17 as if she had been there for years. It is easy to forget the winger is just 20 years old, but as every game ticks away, she matures into a well-rounded footballer.
Her goal was just the tip of the iceberg against Everton, with seven passes into the box and seven successful dribbles highlighting her impact on the match. Vilahamn was quick to suggest the importance of Clinton, adding he would love to keep her next season.
He said: "The main thing is how we can develop as a team and how we can develop as individuals. If you look at Grave Clinton, she’s brilliant again. Scoring that goal and creating chances and then she needs to learn how to defend in the box and do other stuff. That’s the process we are in. I still think we are at a high level. We can be the dictating team at the top of the table, but we need to improve.
“Of course, I want to keep her here, but it’s a loan and she’s a Manchester United player so they will decide what’s happening with her. I love to work with Grace and we have a good collaboration. I think she’s happy here but I can not say too much more."
Vilahamn later added how Spurs go about improving in the coming weeks, with training focusing on controlling the ball at a high tempo.
"The main thing is to control the ball at a high tempo; you have to work with that every day. You have to have passages and communication play so they get used to the ball. Then you need to have possession and transition to make sure you can handle it on the pitch.
We have good communication on how to train each week: big pitch, small pitch, big areas and small areas. Then it’s about giving trust to players, allowing them to make mistakes when they try to do it. The way they play is with self-confidence and quality. It’s a mixture of a good training environment and how they can improve their first touch, passing skills, and game understanding," he said to VAVEL.
