Tottenham dropped points again after suffering a disappointing 3-6 defeat to Liverpool in a Premier League match last Sunday, December 22, at home. It was their eighth defeat in 17 league matches for them, which is an unacceptable run by any standard.
Tottenham are at the 11th position in the league table at the moment. Although the gap with Nottingham Forest, who are in the fourth position, is only eight points, the Spurs have shown that they are not a reliable lot and can suffer defeat even from advantageous positions consistently.
Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham dropped points, again
Tottenham seem to be capable of playing a high-tempo, ultra-aggressive game only. Now, it might be useful when the team is chasing a game and is desperate to score, but when they are already leading by a comfortable margin, then it makes no sense to go gung-ho in their approach.
Moreover, when playing against a team that is considerably stronger, the team should be able to play with a more defensive strategy to earn a valuable point. Such was the case against Liverpool, who have a fantastic group of forwards in their squad and a lethal front-three.
It made absolutely no sense for Tottenham not to adopt a cautious approach in that match. Moreover, they went into the match with an 18-year-old centre-back, Archie Gray, against the Reds. The young defender struggled quite understandably. The fact that he did not have adequate cover provided by defensive midfielders only aggravated the situation.
Tottenham are a very good sight when in full flow, but only that much is not enough for a club that harbors the ambition of being counted among the world’s elite. They regularly ensured top-four finished under Mauricio Pochettino and also finished the runners-up in UEFA Champions League in 2019.
It will be unfair to expect results as good as the ones mentioned above from Postecoglou in his second season at the club, but it cannot be denied that Tottenham have regressed as a team under him, especially in the ongoing season. With Tottenham dropped points becoming all-too familiar, the lens is as magnified as it can get on its key players.
It is true that the club has lost players like Harry Kane and Eric Dier in the recent past and the very effective Son Heung-min is no longer at his best, but Tottenham’s approach to the game has been too carefree at times for them to bring out results.
The Spurs are in the semifinal of the EFL Cup and winning the trophy might still salvage the season for them, but lack of positive results in the Premier League will keep pushing them back as a club.
Next three matches crucial for Tottenham
Tottenham will face Nottingham Forest, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Newcastle United in their next three league matches. Each of those teams could prove to be a tricky opposition for Postecoglou’s men. If Tottenham Hotspur not go about things in a more practical way, they run the risk of being pushed further back in the league table.
It remains to be seen whether Tottenham can get their act together in their upcoming matches and still be able to get something out of the season. It also will be interesting to see if they do any business in the upcoming Transfer Window in January.