Teams that win from behind are mentally tough, resilient, and, ultimately, a nightmare to play against. They never know when they're beat.
They are everything that Tottenham Hotspur haven't been for the past two years.
So, when Alexis Mac Allister handed Liverpool a 1-0 lead off the back of a bright Lilywhite start in their Carabao Cup third-round tie at Anfield, the writing was on the wall for Roberto De Zerbi's side.
Now, it must be said that the Italian helped shift the mentality of a broken squad during the back end of last season. A group of players who felt as if the world was conspiring against them was emboldened by De Zerbi's determination and encouraged by the fighting spirit he showed in front of the hyena-like press.
"Losers cry and think negatively," the Italian said ahead of a crucial 2-1 victory at Aston Villa.
His tone has shifted somewhat amid a slow start to his first full season, attributing Spurs' lack of results to rotten luck. He's not completely wrong, but he can't allow self-despair to re-emerge in N17. De Zerbi's team, resented by rival supporters and bashed in the media, have got to stand tall again.
Stat shows that Tottenham cannot win from behind
After Mac Allister put Liverpool 1-0 up on Tuesday night with a pinpoint finish, Sky Sports produced a graphic that undoubtedly took anyone watching aback, especially non-Spurs supporters.
It showed that the Lilywhites hadn't won any of their previous 46 games in which they'd conceded the first goal. Our last come-from-behind victory arrived under Ange Postecoglou in November 2024, when we overturned a goal deficit to beat Aston Villa 4-1 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Comebacks were a feature of Ange's Spurs, but playing from behind has become a fruitless task since Postecoglou essentially sacrificed the Premier League for the sake of Europa League glory during the second half of the 2024/25 season.
We were a tough watch after conceding first under Thomas Frank, whose framework relied upon a positive game state. Once teams retreated after going ahead, Frank's Spurs were bereft of ideas and utterly reliant on Mohammed Kudus to conjure something from nothing.
The problem has persisted post-Frank, and our unwanted streak extended to 47 games on Merseyside. Spurs created enough to win the cup tie and advance into the fourth round, but they were undone by three excellent Liverpool goals.
It wasn't a performance to be discouraged by, yet the result arrived at a sub-optimal moment for De Zerbi. Our cup exit only builds the significance around Saturday's clash with Villa, who have similarly struggled at the start of the season amid a 'gelling-in' process.
First goal will be crucial!
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