New Delhi: Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou didn’t mince words while reacting to the 2-1 loss faced by his side in the North London derby, labelling the defeat “unacceptable”. Spurs had the lead in the 23rd minute through Son Heung-Min’s strike but were trailing even before halftime with both Gabriel’s header deflecting from Dominic Solanke for an own and Leandro Trossard’s winner in the 44th minute doing the job for Arsenal.
Despite making two changes in the break, Postecoglou couldn’t get Tottenham to make a comeback in the game, making it only the fifth occasion that Arsenal have won both derbies in the League season. Pedro Porro in the injury time hit the post and that was the closest it looked that Arsenal was to conceding in the second half.
“That needs to change” ❌
Ange Postecoglou insists Tottenham’s form in the league this season has been ‘nowhere near good enough’ following their defeat to Arsenal 👇pic.twitter.com/FV6yQF9yGk
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 16, 2025
The defeat has dropped the Lillywhites to the 13th place in the Premier League table. Postecoglou in post-match felt that the team was too “passive” which was enough for Arsenal to take control of the game. Had Tottenham won or played a draw, the title race would have looked much different. However, it wouldn’t have changed the fact that their season as pointed out by Postecoglou hasn’t gone Spurs way.
Tottenham Hotspur giving away points
It has been a pattern for Tottenham to lose at the crunch moments this season even when they have been in the lead. Scoring from a set-piece, Postecoglou’s side had a good chance of making it 1-0 and breaking the three-match losing streak in the North London derby. Yet they lost the game to just a poor four-minute display which was where Arsenal won their game.
Postecoglou was clear that it wasn’t just poor controversial decisions that opened the floodgates as the Australian manager felt that those couldn’t justify the loss. The 59-year-old didn’t find his young players Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall the full 90 minutes any positive sign.
Postecoglou was clearly annoyed by how things have shaped up for his side this season. It just looked like the team was overusing some of their players which didn’t keep them fresh for big clashes. Dejan Kulusevski often looks the one Spurs rely most on.
Solanke is less sharp than how he started his season while Son Heung-min has become slower, while James Maddison isn’t able to play the entire 90 minutes. Lily White’s new goalkeeper, Antonin Kinsky has potential and a lot of confidence but has a tendency to get tackled often. He had taken more touches than anyone in the game with half an hour still left in the game.
What they needed in the game was to hold their nerves and have patience against the Gunners who were struggling to get on the goalsheet without a definite striker. What everyone thought they saw was some mindless footballing that didn’t focus on the entire duration of the game. Kinsky misjudged a corner and Radu Dragusin was simply not able to match Gabriel Magalhaes. Yves Bissouma was too caught in possession when there was space to pass to Djed Spence.
Their 11 defeats from 12 games have come with a single goal difference, and in the trajectory they are going, they are destined to have their worst season finish ever in the Premier League timeline. The goal difference is 11 despite scoring 43 times this season and tells a lot of the story.
On paper, the team might be good, but they do lack passing ability but they do have some exciting youthful talent. Where it loses is an impulsive play which ultimately kills their leads. Postecoglou noted that he hoped that the defeat felt personal to the players who were back to their old forms after two back-to-back wins across competitions, which included a semi-final EFL Cup first-leg win against Liverpool. It is clear though that the team has to dig themselves out of their pit.
Tottenham Hotspur still have time to make a mark though they have lost good opportunities this season. Ange Postecoglou was again left fuming after latest loss against Arsenal. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
