Tottenham Hotspur had a golden opportunity to put some real separation between themselves and rivals West Ham United after the latter's shutout loss to title favorites Arsenal, but Spurs could not take advantage of the "gift" given to them by the Gunners, drawing Leeds United 1-1 in a match they could have easliy lost without the heroics of young breakout goalkeper Antonin Kinsky.
Yes, the refs were an issue, but Tottenham know better than to blame the refs for their own failings. After Mathys Tel's excellent opener, Spurs faded badly, and Tel and his teammates made several major errors along the way.
But Tel nor the refs were the biggest problem for Tottenham and the major reason why they dropped two points in the Premier League relegation fight against Leeds on Monday Night Football. No, the biggest issue was the same issue that has plagued the Lilywhites throughout the season: the other forwards besides Mathys Tel.
The Spurs veteran forwards were disastrous
Richarlison has been Spurs best striker this season and one of their best players of the season by default, but that is a huge problem in and of itself. He is maddeningly inconsistent, and he proved it against Leeds by skying three shots that could have been go ahead goals and three points in the bag for Spurs.
And yet, he was not even the worst striker out there. The de factor right winger Randal Kolo Muani continues to be horrendous in his role out there, and he is clearly not a right winger. Everyone knows it. But at least a player of his supposed status and pedigree (and, ahem, wages) could at least pretend to be something. Kolo Muani created one nice chance for Richarlison but did nothing else of note for the club in another missed opportunity.
What really grinds everyone's gears about the drop off between Mohammed Kudus or even Wilson Odobert and then Randal Kolo Muani on the right wing is how easily the latter loses possession. Almost every time he is on the ball, he makes a bad touch or is dispossessed, and he can't win one on one or offer the necessary work rate. And his goal threat out there is zero.
The biggest problem for Tottenham this season has been the inability of the strikers to make up for the other injuries or to fill out roles in the front three. Young Tel stepped up. Richarlison flopped on the big stage, and Kolo Muani was just straight up embarrassing. You can't win with a starter in the front three playing as badly as RKM did.
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