Tottenham Hotspur added to their growing collection of poor results against the Premier League’s less glamourous clubs tonight with a 1-0 defeat away to Bournemouth.
Not for the first time this season (or in the previous one), Ange Postecoglou’s team conceded what appeared a preventable goal from a corner, with defender Dean Huijsen ghosting in at the far post unmarked to score midway through the first half.
The Athletic’s Jack Pitt-Brooke and Jay Harris analyse the key talking points…
Set-piece weakness stings Spurs again
When Tottenham drew 2-2 at home against Roma in the Europa League last Thursday, the Italians’ first goal was an Evan Ndicka header from a wide free kick. Afterwards, Postecoglou was in no mood to discuss his team’s perceived weakness from set pieces, and whether there was anything he could do to improve it.
“I don’t even know what to say to that,” Postecoglou said. “I think that’s the third set piece goal we’ve conceded from this season in about 20 games. I get it, but I don’t know what to say. Let’s move on.”
Clearly, Postecoglou does not enjoy the fact that whenever his team concede from a set piece it is magnified. It was the same when Spurs conceded from corners against Arsenal and Aston Villa earlier this season, and again tonight when Huijsen was totally free to score what proved Bournemouth’s winner from a corner on 17 minutes.
Postecoglou could reasonably point to the fact that Spurs are better on set pieces now than they were last year, with new coach Nick Montgomery taking special responsibility for them.
At the same time, fans are still frustrated by the fact that these goals Spurs concede from dead ball situations seem so painful. Tottenham created more than enough to win this game but they were always chasing it.
The four league goals Spurs have conceded from set pieces have come from an expected goals of 5.38, according to Opta, the third highest total in the league. Even if Spurs are improving, fans will not always look at the bigger picture when it has just cost Spurs another game.
Jack Pitt-Brooke
Spurs concede from a corner again (Michael Steele/Getty Images)
An away performance like so many others
Don’t be fooled by Tottenham’s impressive victories over Manchester City and Manchester United this season. Those matches on the road are the exception to the rule.
Ange Postecoglou’s side have lost eight of their last 12 away games in the Premier League. You can file Thursday evening’s defeat in the same category as their trip to Crystal Palace in October. It was the exact same scoreline and both goals arrived midway through the first half. From that point onwards, Tottenham barely threatened their opponents.
When Tottenham concede first at home it seems to galvanise them. They respond aggressively and charge around the pitch. For example, Bryan Mbeumo scored in the opening minute for Brentford but by the half hour mark Spurs were leading 2-1. They beat Aston Villa and West Ham United 4-1 after coming from behind.
It is a completely different story on their travels. Tottenham’s confidence is dented and they look devoid of ideas. Ange Postecoglou tried every possible trick in the second-half against Bournemouth and in the final 15 minutes Son Heung-Min dropped into a centre-midfield role. Spurs were top heavy but did not come any closer to scoring while Bournemouth wasted multiple chances to finish the game. If anything the scoreline flattered Spurs.
If Spurs want to be serious about challenging for a top-four spot this season then they have to produce better performances more consistently on the road. These defeats to Brighton, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth more than cancel out the five-star displays against Man City and Man Utd.
Jay Harris
Solanke a shadow of his usual self
It was certainly good news that Dominic Solanke recovered from the illness that put him out of Spurs’ 1-1 draw with Fulham enough to play tonight. Spurs looked lost without him on Sunday afternoon because he is so important to how the team functions with and without the ball.
But while it was better to have Solanke back, he did not look back at his physically dominant best in this return to his former club. Solanke had the two best chances of a poor Spurs first half but could not take either of them with any conviction. And while his work rate was as good as ever, putting his back into every run he made without the ball, he looked understandably short of his normal physical levels.
This meant that Spurs struggled to put enough pressure on Bournemouth when they had the ball, because Solanke is the man in charge of leading Spurs’ press. And it meant that they struggled to keep much of a foothold in the Bournemouth half because they struggled to retain the ball. When Solanke is at his best he makes the whole Spurs team function. It is good that he is back but with Spurs’ other attackers looking low on confidence right now, Tottenham will need him back to his best soon.
Jack Pitt-Brooke
What next for Tottenham?
Sunday, December 8: Chelsea (home), Premier League, 4:30pm UK, 11:30am ET
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(Top photo: Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images)
