Why Tottenham struggled to beat Championship side Coventry City

Tottenham Hotspur narrowly avoided an upset in the Carabao Cup, scraping a 2-1 win over Championship side Coventry City. Despite eventually progressing to the next round, Spurs struggled for large periods of the match. Here's a look at why the game was more difficult than expected.

Why Tottenham struggled to beat Championship side Coventry City

Dominating possession but lacking penetration

While Spurs saw plenty of the ball, especially in the first half with 74% possession, they failed to do anything productive with it. The lack of urgency and creativity was glaring, as the team managed zero shots on target before the break.

Coventry, by contrast, looked dangerous every time they broke forward. Tottenham's midfield, led by Sarr and Bentancur, couldn’t find that killer pass to unlock Coventry’s defence, leaving their front line isolated.

Coventry’s high press causes problems

Credit has to go to Coventry, who refused to be overawed by their Premier League opponents. They pressed high and forced mistakes, disrupting Spurs’ rhythm and creating chances of their own.

Their energy and tenacity in winning the ball back, particularly in the second half, caused plenty of problems for Tottenham. It was only a matter of time before Brandon Thomas-Asante put them ahead, converting after a dangerous cross from the left.

Defensive mishaps and a lack of cutting edge

Tottenham’s defence looked shaky at best, with Forster’s ill-advised rush off his line nearly gifting Coventry a goal. If not for last-minute interventions from Davies and Spence, the scoreline could’ve been far worse.

Up front, Solanke was left frustrated, with little service or support from his teammates. It wasn’t until Kulusevski came on late in the game that Spurs began to look more threatening. Even then, they struggled to fashion clear-cut chances.

In the end, it took some late drama to secure the win, but Spurs will know they got away with one. Coventry made life difficult, exposing weaknesses in Tottenham’s play that will need addressing in the rounds to come.