Ticking time bomb about to explode at Tottenham Hotspur

It feels like we’ve reached the point of no return under Nuno Espirito Santo, whose brief tenure at Tottenham has quickly turned into an experiment gone badly wrong.

The toxic atmosphere in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium during the club’s embarrassing performance against Manchester United was as unnerving as it was definitive. Supporters want a change, and they want it now.

Nuno, during his brief, rocky time at the helm, has failed miserably to get his players to buy into his philosophy. It was clear yesterday the lads in the locker room, led by their out-of-sorts, listless talisman Harry Kane, have thrown in the white towel and capitulated under their new boss’ misdirection.

Even if players are confused or unclear of what is expected of them, one would still expect a full-blooded effort. But to muster no shots on target against a side that was ripped open against Liverpool last week shows how dire things have gotten in north London. It was the fourth time in seven matches Spurs have conceded three goals. In those matches Spurs were outscored 12-1. It makes for destitute reading.

Losing matches is one thing, but it’s the nature of Tottenham’s defeats that has supporters outraged. Listless, disjointed, disorganized, unconfident and devoid of inspiration, Spurs yesterday endured their worst performance in recent memory in front of an angry, disillusioned mass of partisan supporters.

The boos were even more rapturous at halftime and when Steven Bergwijn was brought on for Lucas Moura in the 54th minute. The throngs of rancorous fans were so enraged one has to think Nuno’s time at Spurs is already up.

In his defence, Daniel Levy set him up for failure when he offered him the position. But as usual, it’s the manager who faces dismissal, not the chairman everyone wants rid of. Admittedly, Nuno has failed horribly to instil his philosophy. Not only do Spurs not press — they press the second least of any club in the top flight — they don’t counter effectively either.

To make matters worse, Spurs are unable to show any speed, tempo or incisiveness in possession. Those three things combined make for grim viewing, as seen first hand against a decidedly vulnerable Manchester United side. Imagine what the outcome could have been if United were firing on all cylinders.

So where does this leave supporters and their beloved club?

One thing is for sure: something has to give. Nuno is walking on death row and nobody will be surprised to see him canned in the coming days. While the players have to take some accountability for the shambolic displays of the past six weeks, Nuno needs to bear the brunt of responsibility.

Which will surely result in his imminent dismissal. Based on the reaction of almost the entire stadium yesterday, there doesn’t seem to be any other realistic outcome.