Matthew Chadder

Sat 16 December 2023 7:10, UK

Earning a point at the home of their fiercest rivals after the few weeks they have had was exactly what Tottenham Women needed, and Martha Thomas finding the net again was certainly a welcome bonus.

It has been a very difficult few weeks in north London for Robert Vilahamn and his Tottenham players. After a largely positive start to the season, back-to-back thrashings at the hands of both Manchester City Women and Manchester United Women would have been a tough pill to swallow.

Not only does it derail the momentum they had built up throughout the early part of the season, but it also acts as a harsh reminder that they still have plenty of work to do before they can compete with the top sides in the WSL.

Therefore, with an away trip to Arsenal Women, another one of the WSL’s top teams and Spurs’ fiercest rivals, next on the agenda, it is safe to say that a few of those associated with the club would have been feeling sceptical.

Nonetheless, the players fought tooth and nail to earn a point in their FA Women’s League Cup clash with the Gunners, playing out a thrilling 3-3 draw on Wednesday 13 December.

While they did miss the chance to earn a further point via a penalty shoot-out after full-time, which allowed Arsenal to move top of Group D with eight points compared to Spurs’ seven, the performance across the 90 minutes certainly offered plenty of reasons to be optimistic.

Spurs led on three occasions against Arsenal with goals coming via Thomas and a Jessica Naz brace, and while defensive shortcomings let them down, Vilahamn would have been delighted to see his team scoring again after two games without a goal.

Naz in particular was impressive, scoring twice while completing 83 per cent of her passes (Sofascore), but it was the performance of Thomas that was most encouraging.

Following her arrival at the club on WSL transfer deadline day this past summer from Manchester United, Thomas took like a duck to water, racing to the top of the WSL’s scoring charts with six goals in her first four league matches. However, since a hattrick against Aston Villa Women on 21 October, the goals have dried up for the Scotland international.

That was until the 18th minute of the clash with Arsenal when she found the net for the first time in over two months to open the scoring.

As well as her goal, the 27-year-old also provided an assist, completed 77 per cent of her passes, with two of those being key, completed 100 per cent of her dribbles and made two interceptions as well as one block before being replaced by Rosella Ayane early in the second half.

With Spurs set to meet with Arsenal again at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday 16 December, this time in the WSL, Thomas’ return to form couldn’t have arrived at a more convenient time, and she will be looking to make it two in two this week against the club’s fiercest rivals.

In other Tottenham news, a Spurs expert has blasted one of the best players the club have on their books.