Not only are Tottenham without a stadium, they are without much inspiration at present. Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool strolled to victory over Spurs at Wembley on Saturday, despite Erik Lamela firing in a late strike during injury time.
Spurs Outclassed By Liverpool Thanks to Wijnaldum and Firmino Goals
Cracks Beginning to Show?
Spurs’ start to the season seemed to the debunk the pre-season doubts that surrounded the club. Despite no signings and no stadium, three successive wins, including an emphatic 3-0 victory against Manchester United, silenced any negative prognoses. Consecutive losses to Watford and Liverpool, however, have reinforced these fears.
With the lions share of their squad returning from the international break, fatigue was inevitably going to be an issue against Liverpool’s electric strike force. Thin squad depth has proven problematic, particularly up front, which is demonstrated through Harry Kane’s underwhelming performances of late.
It must be remembered that Spurs were up against a red-hot Liverpool outfit. Using the international break as a justification for their shoddy performance, however, is not sufficient. The league table certainly flatters Tottenham at present and, undeniably, there are signs of regression from seasons gone by.
Dire Viewing for Spurs Fans
Tottenham Hotspur’s performance against Liverpool can be described as tentativeness, uninventive and a reeking of fatigue. Pochettino’s decision to deploy Harry Winks wasn’t enough to ignite the required energy in midfield, as Liverpool’s back-four proved impenetrable time and time again.
Georginio Wijnaldum opened the scoring with a headed effort that narrowly crept over the line before Roberto Firmino compounded Tottenham’s misery. Spurs were lucky to escape a more emphatic defeat and Lamela’s late goal was nothing more than a consolation.
Crucially, their late surge was not enough to paper over the cracks of an otherwise abject performance. Until this point, Spurs had been sleepwalking to defeat and Naby Keita should have finished them off in the 63rd minute.
Looking Forward
Liverpool, on the other hand, have continued their perfect start and sit top of the table on fifteen points. Their indomitable form will have certainly sent shock waves throughout the league, particularly to Pep Guardiola and his men. If the Reds can continue in this vein then there’s no reason why the Premier League title is out of reach.
That said, Liverpool were by no means at their best today, which demonstrates the sheer lethargy of Tottenham’s performance. The international break is already being suggested as an explanation, but this argument isn’t wholly convincing.
Spurs will need to dust themselves off and rediscover their best form. Their performance against Watford highlighted numerous problems and should have portended this uninspiring display. Pochettino will need to reignite confidence in this side to avoid three consecutive defeats against Brighton next Saturday.
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