Spurs’d.
The new manager is learning early in his Spurs career, that’s just way things go at the club as they follow up their masterclass against City, with a reverse masterclass to lose at home to Bournemouth.
Losing at home to a “small” team after beating a “big” team away is classic Spurs. Putting in a woeful performance after putting in an excellent one is classic Spurs. Losing before the international break is classic Spurs.
It was classic Spurs.
Where last week Spurs were the bullies, this week they were the victims. Bullied all over the pitch, Bournemouth were all over ’em from the start and hardly ever relented for the full 90 minutes. Where last week there was hold up play, fighting to keep the ball. Here there was an inability to hold on to anything, no second balls won, duels lost and inept attempts in passing to teammates.
The midfield that monstered City, melted away. The front three that held up everything could now hold their own balls, never mind one played to them. The defence was letting anyone through huge gaps, playing everyone onside but still getting the blocks in.
And that was the thing Bournemouth should have been out of sight. Spurs hadn’t registered a single shot, never mind one on target, while the visitors were in double figures. But only three on target. Having taken just five minutes to open the scoring, more should have followed. And that opener came from a deflection of an attempt that wasn’t gonna score. Vicario had to pull out some excellent saves through the game keeping Spurs in with a chance of an undeserved point or more.
It took Spurs ten minutes into the second half to have an attempt, while another quarter of an hour to get one on target. During this time Frank must have looked at his bench and died a bit inside. Bergvall should have come on at half-time, for Bentancur – who last week was languid but just lazy this. There was no striker to replace Richy, who was having a dog of a game. Solanke missing again with injury but then what would someone who can’t hold the ball have improved?
Tel came on and yeah had an attempt but again showed why Bayern were willing to bin him off. Odobert was there and came on and was in acres of space according to the commentator but it was Odobert. Solomon was there but they’ve given up on him, now wanting to sell him to Palace to my mind he would have been a better option than the other two wingers.
There was a new signing in the expensive seats who might make a difference but will he be able to change the narrative of losing before international breaks? Or the the perception that they get themselves up for those “big” games but look at games like this as “lads, it’s Bournemouth”, when it’s a well coached team, with some excellent players.