Igor Tudor’s first game in charge of Tottenham Hotspur could not have got any worse, as Title-chasing Arsenal romped to a 4-1 victory.
When a team plays their first game under a new manager, you would expect a bit of a manager bounce.
And when Kolo Muauni equalised after capitalising on a rare Declan Rice error, there was an opportunity for them to put some pressure on the league leaders.
It was also a chance to take advantage of West Ham’s dropped points against AFC Bournemouth in a goalless draw at the London Stadium.
But the way they performed in the second half was almost like they were uninterested in the whole situation.
Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze had an absolute field day, with two goals each. This could be the pivotal turning point to kickstart their careers at the Gunners.
But the amount of space they were given by Tottenham’s defence was criminal
Should Muani’s Equaliser Have Stood?
As terrible as Spurs were, you could argue that Kolo Muani’s goal, which would have made it 2-2 should have stood.
Though the replay showed that Gabriel Maghlaes went down, it appears he did so easily.
Therefore, not letting the goal stand seems somewhat controversial.
Football is a contact sport, but since VAR has been introduced, players who receive minimal contact are going down too easily.
The reason is that it gives referees a larger margin for error when making decisions due to the use of technology.
However, it does not negate the fact that football has gotten soft because players and officials are influenced by VAR.
Bad Habits Are Costing Spurs
After the game, Tudor highlighted that his team are good enough to stay in the league, but needs to cut out the bad habits that are costing them games.
“Of course, I am confident [of survival]. I believe these are good players with bad habits.
“Nobody can tell me we don’t have quality. But we need to flip a mental switch and maintain this sharpness in the game from the first minutes, and also the physicality to do so.
But can he do that?
According to ESPN, Spurs sit third in the Premier League discipline table with 66 yellow and three red cards.
About 4.5% of Spurs’ yellows this season have led to a red card.
So Spurs have the capacity to stay in the Premier League, it’s just about being mentally prepared, and cutting out those moments of ill-discipline from individuals.
Fulham, Crystal Palace, Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, and Sunderland will be a tough run-in for Spurs to try to cement their place in the Premier League next season.
Can Spurs get out of this crisis?
Find out, on World In Sport