Tottenham Hotspur fell to their all-time low with a humiliating 2-7 home defeat to German outfit Bayern Munich in the matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night. The defeat followed Spurs disappointing 2-2 draw against Olympiacos of Greece in the UCL matchday 1. The 2-7 defeat is the biggest ever home defeat by any English club in European competition, Mauricio Pochettino's heaviest defeat as Spurs manager.
Tottenham Hotspur's torrid season has also seen them exited the domestic football league cup, an embarrassing defeat to a lower league club, Colchester United. Spurs have also drawn 2 and lost 2 of their 7 league fixtures so far, it all makes one wonders what might be the problem with Pochettino's side.
Pochettino recently hinted at unease in the locker room following the uncertainties surrounding the future of several key players. Spurs playmaker Christian Eriksen made his desire to move across Europe known during the summer window but a move failed to materialize. Danny Rose was on the verge of moving away from White Hart Lane, so was Toby Alderweireld and Serge Aurier but moves never happened. It's almost 7 weeks since the close of the summer transfer window and with all the distraction gone, it's expected that Spurs' Ship would be steady and cruising, but instead, it has been a season short of vintage Spurs.
Talking Points:
• Spurs biggest problem is coming from the right-back, reliable Kieran Trippier was sold during the summer and why Spurs failed to adequately replace the Englishman is a misery, Leaving Serge Aurier as the 1st choice at right-back. The Ivorian, however, has not covered himself in glory with his poor performances in recent games. A below-par performance against Bayern Munich came at the back of a sending off in the EPL over the weekend.
• The manner in which Spurs loses points from a winning position is alarming(2-2 vs Arsenal, 2-2 vs Olympiacos, 1-2 vs Leicester & 2-7 vs Bayern), a far cry of the usually pressing and resilience Spurs, It used to be Spurs earning points from a losing position. Could it be as a result of a distracted defence line or perhaps, an underperforming team?
• Whatever reason is making Pochettino leave his most creative player Christian Eriksen out of the matchday starting 11 remains to be unclear, could it be Pochettino is preparing his team ahead of the impending departure of the Dane? Pochettino sure needs his best legs on the pitch and that includes Eriksen. Spurs struggle without Eriksen in most matches.
• Injuries to key players have not made things easier for Pochettino, his team's progression has been certainly hampered with injuries to new boys Giovani Lo Celso and Ryan Sessegnon, while Dele Alli only returns to the squad recently.
Positive:
It is not all disaster yet for Spur though. The good thing about such heavy defeat in the early fixtures of the season is that it gives an opportunity to both team and management of a club to perform a 'forensic look' so to say, at the team and put machineries in place ahead of the transfer window.
Tottenham Hotspur, 6 years under the tutelage of Mauricio Pochettino has been a team on the rise, however, it has been reiterated by football pundits that Spurs need to back their progression with a trophy. The team has always been a season away from a trophy, it is time to really buckle up and actually move up a notch from another nearly season.
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