to no shotters.
Spurs went through their second straight league game without registering a single shot on target, in another dull performance, in which they got away with at least a point.
Three weeks ago, Spurs needed to win by a margin to get into fourth spot, since then they’ve done everything they can to relinquish that place. Last week they got away with the loss to Brighton, but in scraping a point against Brentford they dropped a place.
Since gaining fourth, it’s almost as if they don’t want it, and the Champions League it brings. Either that or they’re not playing for Conte, what with all the rumours about his future flying about.
A few weeks ago, they put in a woeful first half, against Villa, obviously got a bit of a bollicking, or some tactical lessons at the break and turned it around. They’ve put in a similar first 45 minutes in the past two games, which has seen nothing change after the break.
Up to the last two games Spurs were the top scoring side in the league during the few months of 2022, since those heady days in 180 minutes they’ve failed to register a single shot on target. Amazing.
During that Villa game, when Doherty went off injured, I tweeted jokingly that there goes Spurs’ season. Could it be? After being pretty useless to begin with, all of a sudden the Irishman was fitting in and playing like the player he was at Wolves. Getting into the box, coming in at the back post when crosses come from the other side. Hell, it was even working him playing on the left. He was also coming into the middle at times, creating a three in there helping out when the midfield pair were being out-manned.
But then they managed most all the second half against Villa and all the Newcastle game without Doherty and managed 9 goals. So maybe it ain’t him. Though the three wingbacks they’ve used since, Sessegnon started here in place of Reguilon on the left, with Royal on the right, all seem reluctant to really attack and when they do their final ball is apologetic rather than decisive.
People were wondering why Conte was standing there watching nothing change, nothing improving, nothing happening, and not doing something about it. Well, one look at the bench and maybe there’s your answer. There isn’t much he can do.
Kulusevski is getting crowded out much like Moura tends to get. People asking what Bergwijn had to do to get on. Well, maybe not completely mess up that chance he had in the Brighton game. When either play they don’t make it easy for the manager to sub off Kane, Son or Kulu, no matter how bad nay of the starting front three are playing.
In the end the change came it was Sanchez for Sess. Not exactly what everyone was screaming for and much like bringing on Winks last week, it had no discernible effect. It was meant to move Davies up to wingback but at times it looked more like Sanchez was playing there. Anyway, no attempts on goal followed. Neither did Moura’s arrival for Royal, which saw Kulu switch to wingback.
It was the worst of Spurs. It was the passing sideways, far too many touches, no movement, no playing forward fast one touch Spurs. Ponderous and dithering.
You’d think Brentford would have been the type of team Spurs would like to face. You don’t see them as the flat back 10 types but they managed to clamp Spurs up, while having the two attempts on target produced in the game.
The only real surprise as the game went on was Brentford not managing to score through either Eriksen directly or from one of his set pieces. I mean a goal from an Eriksen corner… now that would be Spursy…