Harry Kane still coming to terms with last seasons heartbreak

As a result, the 22-year-old played in just friendly game before being named in the starting XI for the club’s Premier League opener against Everton on Saturday (13 August), a game that ended in a 1-1 draw.

Ross Barkley fired the hosts ahead in Koeman’s first game in charge since a summer move from Southampton but they missed a string of chances before Erik Lamela made it 1-1 late on.

The Ronald Koeman era at Everton got off to an unbelievable start after a great free kick from Ross Barkley dribbled past Tottenham goalie Hugo Lloris at the far post after just six minutes.

Erik Lamela’s second half header cancelled out Ross Barkley’s early free-kick, but it was the introduction of Netherlands worldwide Janssen which altered the thrust of Tottenham’s attacking play.

Pochettino’s press conference before the match had seen him reveal he had wanted to “kill” his players over the final day of last season, when they lost 5-1 at Newcastle and dropped to a third-place finish in the table. But in the second half there was a lot more energy and we always had different options and ways to play.

Although Koeman’s charges ended the first half strongly and almost doubled their lead just before the break, but Vorm produced fine save to deny Gerard Deulofeu in a one on one situation.

“We’re not at the level we need to be in terms of the players’ physical state”, said Koeman.

It was only when Pochettino abandoned the idea of two holding midfielders they played like the side that pushed Leicester so close for much of last season. In the first half we had a lack of energy.

In the end they were glad to draw 1-1 and get a point, so small was their share of the game and so limited were their attacking efforts.

The biggest news before kick-off was Romelu Lukaku being left out of the Everton squad after failing to overcome his heel injury forcing Gerard Deulofeu to start up top.

He also made it clear striker Oumar Niasse has no future at Goodison Park, saying: “He can make his transfer because he is not in my opinion the future, what we need in his position”.

“I am very happy with how we handled the game and how we finished it, but I am very disappointed with how we started”, Pochettino said.

Tottenham took control of the final 15 minutes of the match as they forced Everton into their own half in pursuit of a victor, but the Toffees continued to look threatening on the break. You know how the teams have spent money and maybe you can put a team on the table from one to 20.