Tottenham Hotspur wrapped up their preseason tour of the United States with a 2-1 win against New York Red Bull on Tuesday, but on Monday the team took a trip into Manhattan to get their heads scanned. Not medically, of course, but so that EA Sports can properly include the players in their new video game entry, FIFA 13. The players came to Grand Central Station in New York City on Monday to test out the new FIFA 13, get their hands scanned, and answer a few questions from the media, including EPL Talk. Sixteen players were on hand, but only one would win the tournament and a new Xbox 360.

Most of the players on the younger side of the team showed up to the event, coming from training at Red Bull arena to get their heads scanned by 16 cameras on a 360 degree angle, in order to properly and perfectly map their face for use in the game. Before getting their face mapped, the players first took part in a tournament. The players were boisterous and lively throughout the event, trash talking and animated — in particular, the antics of the two Kyle’s, Walker and Naughton. After every goal Walker would let out a howl of exuberance, while Naughton made a run to the final, choreographing an impromptu celebration with Gareth Bale, pantomiming blowing away his opponent once he had won a game.

While the event provided a break for Tottenham during their lengthy preseason tour, the fact remained the team was still only a few weeks away from their first fixture with Newcastle, and still lacking a consistent goal scoring threat.

“The team’s looking good, you know, though the club is looking at strikers,” said Jake Livermore. Losing his first game and getting his head scanned quickly, he was able to answer a few questions about his breakout season last year and the challenges Tottenham face this upcoming season. Last year Livermore was a welcome surprise, impressing with his dependable passing and box-to-box skills after a series of uneventful loans that had fans question whether they could rely on the young midfielder.

“It’s good when people doubt you, it gives you something to prove people wrong. I’ve got to thank my team for that, [Harry] Redknapp as well, for giving me the opportunity. Thankfully I was able to produce on the pitch. Alongside that I have great teammates to play with, and you know that’s when you realize when you play with great players day in, day out, that you can be something special yourself.”

The event was beginning to wrap up, as Tom Carroll defeated Kyle Naughton to win the player tournament and the last players got their head mapped for the new game. Most of the players were very positive of the new game, commending creative director Simon Humber with the new first touch controls, allowing better control of the ball along with the improved physics. With the new agreement between Tottenham F.C. and EA, the players faces will be fully realized in the game and White Hart Lane will be a new venue as well. Seems fitting for a club on the rise and in the middle of one of its best periods of play since the Bill Nicholson days. The team is young and filled with potential, and Livermore thinks they can do better.

“I think we had a great season last season, and if we just build on that we got two additions to the squad now with [Gylfi] Sigurdsson and Jan [Vertonghen] at the back, hopefully that will be the difference that we needed. We were still a young squad last season so now we’re a bit more mature and hopefully we’ll win something, win the title. “