Toby: "We have to show what kind of team we are"

The team’s ability to bounce back from defeat has shone again this season and Toby Alderweireld is looking for more of the same as we travel to Cardiff on New Year’s Day.

After a superb run, we suffered a jolt with a home defeat against Wolves on Saturday.

But a look at the reaction to our last two losses underlines what this team is all about.

Go back to 29 October and a 1-0 loss at home to Manchester City was followed by six wins on the spin in all competitions, including must-win matches against PSV and Inter in the Champions League.

After that, a tough-to-take defeat in the derby at Arsenal on 2 December was followed by a run of six wins - five in the Premier League, victory on our return to the Emirates in the Carabao Cup - and a draw at Barcelona to secure a place in the last 16 of the Champions League.

That sequence was up to five wins on the trot in the Premier League before Saturday and defender Toby aims to get back to winning ways in the Welsh capital.

“We have to stick together,” said the Belgian international. “Of course, everyone is very disappointed to get this result (against Wolves) but we have to bounce back on Tuesday and show what kind of team we are.”

Everything looked in control at half-time at Wembley on Saturday. Harry Kane fired us into a 1-0 lead with a beauty and we’d had 10 efforts on goal.

That all changed in the second half, however, as goals from Willy Boly (72 minutes), Raul Jimenez (83) and Helder Costa (87) completely turned it around in the final 20 minutes.

It was a tough one to take. “I thought we had a good first half, second half we couldn’t get the energy from the last games, we defended, defended and then a goal against… it was difficult,” reflected Toby.

“The desire was there, sometimes it’s just the energy. Normally we’re on top of it and we’re better than the opponent but we couldn’t create a lot chances (in the second half). Defensively they stood okay and we couldn’t get through. The second half was difficult.”

100 up for Toby

💯 @AlderweireldTob makes his 100th @premierleague appearance for the Club! 👏#COYS pic.twitter.com/A1BD07s8Iy

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) December 29, 2018

Saturday also marked Toby’s 100th Premier League appearance for the Club.

He said: “I hoped I would celebrate it with a victory but I’m proud to play 100 Premier League games for Spurs. It’s a dream come true. Unfortunately, we couldn't get three points.”