LONDON — Can it really only be 15 days since the great triumph of Ange Postecoglou’s term? By beating Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, Tottenham had convincingly demonstrated that you really have to pay attention to all the statistics except the points. The three games since then offer an altogether more worrying counterargument: the xG, goal difference, and whatever other stat you care to mention, they simply don’t pick up on the vulnerability of this side, a team that challenges you to put the “S” in to put. word.
Because what was this but Spursy? Two goals they conceded from a Chelsea defense that couldn’t stay upright, and yet it’s Tottenham who ultimately slam themselves into the canvas. Marc Cucurella’s early mistakes would undoubtedly be the most disastrous performance of the weekend. Hold my beer, say Tottenham. Two penalties bequeathed to their West London rivals to level matters, between the four defenders guiding Cole Palmer into an excellent crossing position, Chelsea’s title hopes grew at Three Point Lane.
These days are important for the progress of Postecoglou. There is no shortage of evidence to support the argument that Spurs are a better side for having had this manager since the start of last season, but any project whose vision extends to the long term must earn the support of voters. A point from six league matches with Chelsea and Arsenal is not the way to achieve that. Two of the most fascinating and funny derbies in England and the joke always seems to be on Tottenham.
The punch line is all the more effective because the setup had you prepared for a completely different joke. This is a rivalry that has not hesitated in recent years to turn its main trade into a nonsensical profession. The handshake between Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte had begun and Nicolas Jackson’s quest for the most disappointing hat-trick in football had set the bar high. Marc Cucurella was about to slide under it.
There was certainly something about a Storm Darragh-soaked pitch that gave this a Disney on Ice feel, the kind of production you’d imagine Spurs would be keen to squirrel away for another twenty days of stadium use. Still, it was hard to have much sympathy for Cucurella when he stormed to the touchline eleven minutes later to get a new pair of boots. Brennan Johnson, Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski managed to stay alive at the most decisive moment.
At the time, this felt more like an attempt to re-shoe the horse long after it had fled. Solanke had opened the scoring against his old club with the most elegant close-post flick. Kulusevski looked imperious, galloping towards Romeo Lavia and Enzo Fernandez and always finding himself in places where he had multiple options in front of him. Heung-min Son’s eyes lit up every time Moises Caicedo returned to midfield. A fastball in transition and he was gone. Perhaps the Spurs captain, at the height of his powers, could have had a dip in his efforts midway through the first half.
That would have served to quell the nerves that had struck a previously raucous home faithful after Jadon Sancho brilliantly halved the deficit. As he drove from the left to the infield, he pulled three white shirts towards him, without the slightest inkling that he would give up possession. Instead, a player who spent the rest of his 90 minutes elegantly building attacks around the block let fly, with Fraser Forster unable to get a glove on the ball.
From that moment on, this looked more like a game that Spurs lost in a matter of moments. No doubt their task would be easier if they had retained more possession; Leaving your opponents with 70% of the ball on your home pitch should be a matter of inconvenience for any top flight in the Premier League. It didn’t help that Cristian Romero’s comeback from injury lasted just 15 minutes, although Radu Dragusin did well to keep up with Jackson and then block his shot. However, by the time fellow centre-back Micky van de Ven departed with ten minutes plus extra time remaining, it was clear this was a lost cause.
That need not have been the case. The chances came for Spurs, Son missed the target with another from a top position, Solanke couldn’t quite convert a cutback. With better finishing they could have won this. That’s worth keeping in mind for Daniel Levy if and when he feels compelled to consider Postecoglou’s future. Tottenham can still have their moments against a team that really looks like a title contender.
However, the most fundamental flaws in Tottenham’s composition appear to remain unresolved 18 months after the manager took office. This team’s ability to make things more difficult for themselves is seemingly limitless. Good play by opponents on the edge of their penalty area caused panic in the final hour. Sancho’s quick feet and through ball had put Caicedo, who was perhaps lucky to be on the pitch after a heavy first-half tackle on Pape Matar Sarr, in a good position, but hardly so dangerous that Yves Bissouma had to body his body towards the ball swing and hope. Certainly not if Palmer is taken from the penalty spot.
Palmer’s guile makes him quite a challenge for two defenders, let alone one. However, when four come at him, the cross simply cannot come. Enzo Fernandez did what he had done every other time the ball came his way and rolled with it. It never stopped there. A Sarr punch to Palmer as he moved out of the box and the smart ones were already on their way home before Palmer’s panenka.
They knew what was coming. So too, you fear, were Spurs, who rose too late to turn the tide when Son’s goal finally came in the sixth of seven minutes of added time. Tottenham had approached the most favorable position they could have imagined with timidity, convinced that they were not the team to stun the champions. If they can’t be convinced by the best moments of this project, how will anyone else be?