very early.
Spurs put in their most insipid performance of the season so far in limp display to lose at Chelsea, to lose at home yet again.
A London derby, that lot and there was nothing, bar one challenge. No real fight, no go forward, nothing.
The bizarre thing is they could have come away from this game again with another ugly point. Vicario was making the saves again and the goal was a complete gift.
It’s that team again. It’s that central pair, that, god I hate modern football, double pivot of Palhinha and Bentancur. That pivot that just pivots sideways. That doesn’t play the ball forward. That ends up with all the Spurs players in their own half, behind the ball, playing themselves into trouble.
So we have the goal. Micky gets the ball on the edge of the Spurs area, plays it out to Xavi, who under no pressure and in acres of space just gives it straight back, with a piss weak attempt, playing Micky into trouble, the ball is coughed up, one cross and an almost open goal, that even a player who hasn’t scored in weeks can’t miss.
Things weren’t helped before that by Bergvall taking a bang to the head that left him looking very groggy as he stumbled about the pitch. He had to come off, but that led to Xavi’s introduction. An introduction that didn’t help things one bit. People are blaming that double pivot on Xavi being useless. But I don’t think either Bentancur nor Palhinha and making him lose the ball so easily. They’re not helping the ball get forward but their not at fault for his weakness in possession. His falling over when slightly brushed and his general well… his general play of someone who uses that name on his shirt to compensate for his lack of ability. He even managed to be dispossessed more than Kudus.
Frank was even let down by his set pieces this time. Kudus’s corners were basically catching practice for the Chelsea keeper. That’s when he wasn’t turning back into trouble after getting himself space to do something.
So the tied has turned against Frank.
No this wasn’t worse than any time during the Ange age. Is he pragmatic and too defensive minded? Well, weren’t you the ones moaning about what an easy touch Spurs were under Ange? His Brentford teams scored goals, because they had Toney, Wissa, Mbouma. Here he has Richy, Tel, Odobert.
That’s one reason why Chelsea generated more xG in second half stoppage time than Tottenham generated in the entire match. Frank’s team selection elsewhere is also a factor.