Crystal Palace 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur: The Afterthought
What can you say? Yet again, one step forward, two steps back. We have discussed finding consistency for so long under Ange Postecoglou’s tenure that it is literally laughable right now: another bland defeat, this time at the hands of an underwhelming Crystal Palace side. So, what went wrong this time for Spurs? Let’s check it out.
No Son, No Party…
With Son, Spurs looked invincible just last week against West Ham. Fast-forward to the Palace game, they looked utterly disjoined and bereft of any creativity in his absence. No matter how influential that player is, you cannot rely on just one player to bail you out in every game.
While it would be better if Son stays fit for the majority of games in the campaign, it would also help if other players stand up and start to deliver in the absence of their talisman. Right now, without Son, you seriously cannot determine which Spurs turn up for a game.
Lacking Leadership…
This is not a new issue. Ever since the departure of Harry Kane, the onus has fallen on Son to bail Spurs out in every game, and if Son isn’t playing, there is no one to take the baton. There is an apparent lack of leadership within the Spurs squad.
It might be highly frustrating for the Spurs fans because, at one point, they had Kane, Son, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, and Lloris as part of a leadership group. Now, there are talented players in the squad, but you cannot find a proper leader. Van de Ven and Maddison are closest to what you can call leadership material, but until they produce some sort of consistent performances, it is tough to put them in the same bracket as some of the greats mentioned above.
Ange Postecoglou…
Is he still the right man to lead Spurs to a major honour? Probably, yes. Chopping and changing managers has seldom helped any club unless you are Chelsea in the mid-2000s and your owner has as deep pockets as the depth of the Atlantic Ocean. Spurs have committed to the project that Ange envisioned, and now they have to back him for the remainder of the season, at the very least.
However, Ange is very close to losing the Spurs fans’ patience. He is running on thin ice now. It has been more than a year, and Spurs are struggling to find the perfect XI, which in turn is causing inconsistency. Of course, injuries to key players like Son this season and Maddison last season haven’t helped, but with his gung-ho tactics, Ange is not helping his cause.
There is still a long way to go; Ange and Spurs need to find some consistency and fast because there is already a gap starting to appear between them and the top five. Spurs do not want to lose any more ground in the race for the top four positions.