New Year, same Spurs, Tottenham Hotspur again terrible in loss

For most Spurs fans, the concern started with the line-up and continued through 90 abject minutes, as Tottenham Hotspur again was not good enough.

Some elements were better for Spurs, with Tottenham Hotspur managing to go through the first half without conceding. However, with a quarter-hour to play, Spurs were again down two goals on another wasted day, as the Tottenham tumble continued in a 0-2 home loss to Aston Villa.

Although Spurs did not concede in the first half, that does not mean Tottenham was playing on the front foot. Rather, most of the half was spent with the Lilywhites lackadaisically knocking the ball around the middle third of the pitch. Spurs were so slow in attack Harry Kane did not touch the ball until just short of 20 minutes gone as he picked up a foul on Tyronne Mings.

The inability to get the ball to our most important player was just one of the many areas of the game lacking in a team unable to produce anything that troubled Robin Olsen in goal, who only had to make one save the entire game. Despite a very pedestrian attack in the first half, Spurs managed to go into the locker room level without conceding, which is sadly an improvement. However, a sloppy second half meant a lost afternoon.

Club captain Lloris lets Tottenham down

Hugo Lloris was back between the sticks after sitting out the Boxing Day draw after returning from his service with France at the World Cup. Villa had three first-half shots but none on target; that was not the case in the second half.

Tottenham’s beginning of the end started on what should have been a routine save for captain Lloris. Douglas Luiz took a potshot from more than 30 meters away. The ball was right at Lloris, but he failed to hold onto the ball, leaving a rebound. Ollie Watkins was first to the rebound, and he rolled the ball back to Emiliano Buendía for an easy finish and a 0-1 Villa lead.

Unfortunately, the goal did not stir Spurs from their continuing slumber, as they failed to respond meaningfully. The ongoing inability of the Tottenham frontline to maintain possession led to a turnover, and again midfielders not marking let a player waltz in for a second goal.

Down 0-2, Antonio Conte turned to his bench, making all four substitutes; regrettably, none were an attacker, with Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison unavailable, leaving the attack as limp as it started as Spurs saw the clock wind down. New year, the same Spurs as Villa took all three points in north London.