of course not.
Lads, it’s Tottenham. Of course after beating the team top pf the Premier League with 20 wins to their name, Spurs would follow it up with a defeat to a team second bottom with two wins all season.
Has Burnley finally killed Antonio Conte? For all the joy of the weekend victory to vanish just like that with such an insipid performance that resulted in not only dropped points but the manager saying after the game that he’s ready to leave if it would help improve results.
It wouldn’t. It’s Spurs mate… it’s Spursy… this was Spursy. Conte’s just gonna have to accept that, if of course he stays, which with January and this I doubt. Death by Burnley and Levy.
But you can see why a performance like this was so disheartening to a man who has only just arrived at the club. Even with the woeful games that came before the City victory.
For once Spurs started brightly. It just didn’t last long. From the kickoff they went forward, with pace, one touch stuff and created a chance and looked dangerous. That was the first minute, the rest of the first half they fannyied about, sideways, backwards, too many touches and didn’t threaten the Burnley goal.
The only way it could get worse – seeing as it was lashing down with rain already – was the introduction of Winks. This came at half-time as he replaced Bentancur. The Uruguayan had gone down earlier in the half, with a very awkward twist and fall. It looked bad from the off but he carried on, which was probably the wrong thing to do.
Now when you look at Spurs players who have an injury and are then out for a lot longer than you think they would – Romero, Dier, Skipp this season – you have to wonder if well see Bentancur again this season.
Second half pretty much went like the first. Until the 71st minute, when Sessegnon needlessly, stupidly, pushed over Lennon on their right wing. From the resulting free-kick, Romero got on the wrong side of his man – started off on the right side but somehow ran around behind him. Mee wanted it more and got it for the only goal of the game.
Spurs had chances but took too many touches, dithered and yes went close, bar hit, just wide of the post but from the off it looked like being one of those games. And Spurs know about those games, they’ve had enough of them over the years, Conte not so much maybe. Though he played one against City, just in reverse. City didn’t take their chances, neither did Spurs, what few they had – just two on target.
But it’s Spurs, Antonio, we all saw this coming…