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The Hoddle of Coffee: Tottenham news and links for Friday, April 1

A look at the month ahead

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Tottenham Hotspur Training Session Photo by Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images

Football is back! Football is back! Say it one more time ... Football is back!

Yes you read that right, football is back! The international breaks are over. All our Spurs players are back home safe and sound, and it’s time to finish the season strong.

Tottenham Hotspur ended March with two consecutive wins, a 2-0 win at Brighton and a convincing 3-1 win against West Ham. Spurs are currently in fifth place, three points behind fourth-place Arsenal.

January incomings Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur have been extremely impressive, inserting themselves firmly into the Starting XI, Harry Kane is looking like himself again and Heung-min Son might have turned the corner last time out. But now April is here, and we have some big matches coming up. Let’s take a look at the month ahead:

Tottenham Hotspur men:

Nothing ever comes easy for Tottenham. But, if they are to make a top-four run, this is the month to do it. Newcastle have made progress under Eddie Howe, but it’s a winnable match. All of these are, really.

Take Brighton, who Spurs already beat 2-0. Yes, I know, it’s Tottenham. But this side finally looks to be settling into Antonio Conte’s vision and style of play. They seem to have an identity, even the loss against Manchester United they looked not bad.

Most intriguing of this month’s fixtures: Brentford. Christian Eriksen will, for the first time since he left, square up against his Spurs teammates at Brentford Community Stadium. Pencil April 23 in your diary.

April Fixtures: April 3, Newcastle (H); April 9, Aston Villa (A), April 16, Brighton (H), April 2, Brentford (A)

Tottenham Hotspur Women:

There isn’t much to report on here. Tottenham Hotspur played two matches this month: a 0-0 draw to Reading and a 0-1 loss against Manchester City.

Tottenham have a big game scheduled for the end of the month against Chelsea - one of two fixtures against Chelsea still to be played. But first they host an Aston Villa side that are winless in four of their last five matches.

But the women do have something in common with the men’s squad: They currently sit fifth in the standings.

April Fixtures: April 3, Aston Villa (H); April 24, Chelsea (A)

Fitzie’s track of the day: Kathy’s Waltz, by the Dave Brubeck Quartet

And now for your links:

Long Read: Why Harry Winks is the future of Tottenham Hotspur

Antonio Conte wins Golden Bench as Serie A’s best coach for 2020/21

Troy Parrott rediscovering his form with MK Dons ($$)

Manuel Lanzini unhurt in car crash on way to training ground

Luke Ayling opens up on his stammer

EFL and non-league clubs urge UK government to ban gambling advertising in football