Tottenham Hotspur failed to get back to winning ways after their 2-0 defeat against Fulham last time out in the league, as they suffered a defeat to yet another London rival, Chelsea, in the Premier League. But who were the biggest losers on Thursday? Let’s find out.
It all went down in the worst possible way for Tottenham Hotspur in their clash against Chelsea on Thursday, as the Lilywhites suffered a painful 1-0 defeat to their London rivals.
So far this season, only the Premier League’s current bottom four teams have lost more games than Ange Postecoglou’s men.
Spurs have also now suffered 16 league defeats in a single campaign for the first time since the 2003/04 season under Glenn Hoddle and David Pleat (19).
These numbers make for grim reading for Postecoglou, a manager brought in to foster a winning culture around N17.
Following Tottenham’s latest defeat, we’ve picked out the five biggest losers from the 1-0 loss at Stamford Bridge…
Ange Postecoglou under pressure after Tottenham Hotspur’s defeat to Chelsea
There’s no better place to start than Postecoglou himself. Not only is he racking up all the wrong records, he’s also beginning to lose the very fans he needs right behind him.
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Thursday’s clash was the perfect opportunity for Spurs to show some fight and bounce back with a win—a victory would have kept the fans onside and given them something to hold on to.
Instead, the reverse was the case, and to make matters worse, Postecoglou’s ear-cupping gesture has only widened the rift between him and the supporters. It’s the last thing an under-fire manager needs right now.
Micky van de Ven’s costly error for Chelsea’s goal
Many Spurs fans were understandably delighted to see Micky van de Ven back in the side, especially during such a crucial run-in with an all-important Europa League quarter-final tie on the horizon.
While his presence will be welcomed again on Thursday night against Frankfurt, his defending for Chelsea’s opening goal was nothing short of shambolic.
The Dutchman looked shaky throughout the build-up, uncertain defensively, and completely lost with his marking in the box—which allowed Enzo Fernandez to drift in for a free header, despite being surrounded by Tottenham defenders. That simply has to improve.
Dominic Solanke’s goal drought continues for Spurs
Dominic Solanke continues to labour in front of goal for Tottenham, now without a goal in his last eight outings.
Against Chelsea, he was a complete passenger, offering next to nothing in attack. The Englishman didn’t register a single shot on goal.
For a striker who was brought in to replace Harry Kane’s goals, Solanke’s recent displays have been nowhere near good enough. It’s really that simple—as a striker, you’ve got to find the net.
James Maddison goes missing again for Tottenham Hotspur
James Maddison surely would’ve been hoping to impress on Thursday night, especially with England boss Thomas Tuchel in attendance.
But instead, he put in a performance that belonged in a hall of shame. No creativity, no spark, and once again, he was hooked off.
The 28-year-old needs to find consistency if he wants to be in serious contention for the England squad ahead of the World Cup. That showing at Stamford Bridge most certainly won’t help his cause.
Mathys Tel continues to struggle for trust under Ange Postecoglou
Mathys Tel being thrown on in the 88th minute tells you all you need to know about how much trust Postecoglou has in him. Spurs were chasing the game, and still the manager waited until the dying minutes to bring him on.
Can you really blame Postecoglou? Tel has only scored once since joining Tottenham—a goal that came way back in February in the FA Cup against Aston Villa. The youngster needs to start producing a lot more if he’s going to convince his manager to give him more minutes.