Looking for Positives in Another Painful Tottenham Loss

You want to be positive and try to find the good things but at this point we really are scraping the barrel to find the silver lining in Tottenham Hotspur’s 5th loss in the last six matches in the Premier League. Tottenham have not completely capitulated, which is about as much as you can say for the team that lacks that cutting edge at the moment. So what can Spurs fans try to look to for hope in yet another defeat?

Tottenham have Not Completely Capitulated

At this point Tottenham Hotspur are still fighting. Their coach is still fighting as you hear him barking on the sidelines and speaking defiantly to the press. The players are still fighting as well. That last 40 minutes of football was about as aggressive and dominant as Spurs have been in some time. While it only led to one goal, it was certainly not from a lack of effort.

At this point no one can say the team has quit on their coach. However, the problem is that sense of urgency was not apparent until they were two goals behind only moments into the second half. Had that same drive to be dominant been part of the mentality from the kickoff it may have been a different game.

While it is good job for continuing to fight, it is frustratingly maddening that the team has to be backed into a corner to do it. Maybe that corner mentality is something they can carry with them moving forward, because at this point even finishing in the top six seems unlikely and Spurs are frankly lucky they started so well to stay above the fray below – the form IS that bad, as our ratings showed.

Tottenham did dominate possession

Tottenham Hotspur did not sit back and look to just hit on the counter against West Ham. Of course if that was the game plan when you give up a goal less than five minutes into the match, it becomes difficult to do.

Tottenham had more than 68% of the possession and completed a very respectable 83% of their passes according to whoscored.com. More importantly for Tottenham all that possession did turn into chances as Spurs had 20 overall attempts. While few were clear cut there were definitely some opportunities where fans and players alike were left wondering how the team did not score.

While it is difficult to swallow the idea that what Spurs need is a little luck as Mourinho suggested post match – a little luck certainly would not hurt. Of course making your own luck helps and Spurs did really try to do that in the second half and did a better job of getting the ball in and creating opportunities, just not enough good ones to make it count.

Sergio Reguilón was back and looked sound

Last seen sledding behind a golf cart in the snow, Sergio Reguilón was back in the line-up after nearly a month out. While Reguilón was rusty at times and was maybe playing it a little too close with the referee, it was positive to see him.

Sergio provides a clear attacking presence on the left, although it does also tend to further crowd the space between he and Son as neither stay attached the line and both like to come in. Ben Davies has needed a break for several matches now and it was good Reguilón could provide it.

Like I said we are scraping the bottom of the barrel to try and find something good in a loss that really leaves you with a bad taste in your mouths. Despite drawing in the first match-up with West Ham, it sure feels like Spurs were swept by the Hammers who look like a top four squad, which Tottenham clearly is not.