Their next three league losses would see the team set a club-record for the most league defeats in a single season. Following a disappointing 17th league defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Spurs now hover dangerously close to their lowest finish in the Premier League era, echoing their struggles back in the 1993-94 season.
As of this writing, Tottenham languishes in 15th in league table. Their position is precarious, as they sit just two points clear of the drop zone, with West Ham United bearing down right behind them. On the pitch, the club’s disastrous form has set off alarm bells. They’ve underperformed under manager Ange Postecoglou, only getting 1.15 points per match. That puts them on track to reach their lowest points total in Premier League history.
Dismal Performance and Historical Context
Spurs’ form in the last few weeks has been deeply concerning — especially since an impressive win against Manchester City on Nov. 23. It doesn’t help that since the presser, the club has lost 12 of their last 20 matches, exacerbating the horror show. In fact, remarkably, they’ve all earned a lower point total than some teams already in the relegation zone – like Southampton, Leicester and Ipswich.
Their recent home losses, most notably surprise defeats to relegation threatened Leicester and Ipswich have caused shockwaves through the team’s fanbase. The path forward suggests there’s little hope of Spurs winning enough games. Even if they had a complete cast of players, their position could not get much worse.
“Some of the results we’ve seen this season – there’s been mitigating circumstances in terms of the injuries they’ve had – but even when they’ve had their full team, they’ve not been winning enough games.” – Jamie Carragher
The current season’s disarray raises questions about the club’s long-term direction. For protecting the team Tottenham are in a wonderful tradition of never losing more than 19 league matches in a season. That record was set just during the 2003-04 and 1993-94 campaigns. And with three more losses, they will cross this threshold, adding even more stain to their legacy.
Managerial Pressure Mounts
Ange Postecogloglou’s future as head coach is now under serious question after this shocking run of results. Critics say that the club’s controversial chairman, Daniel Levy, has missed the chance to make a bold move when it’s clear the club is in decline. Demands for managerial change have become more and more urgent as the losses have continued to pile up on the team’s rebuilding project.
“It just feels that there’s been no plan. There’s been no sense of any feeling from Daniel Levy that there’s any kind of back-up with regards to this season,” said Ricky Sacks.
The disbelief expressed by fans and analysts is illustrative of a larger frustration with the club’s leadership and direction. Most people would agree that Postecoglou’s time in charge will be looked back upon unfavourably unless something changes drastically in the very near future.
Even with these odds stacked against him, Postecoglou still finds himself with the perfect chance to make something of his season in European play. With the current state of the team and their contentious relationship with supporters, that prospect feels far away.
“His relationship with the supporters is at an all-time low,” noted Sacks. “There’s no real connection there to make you feel he can even win the fans back should he progress to the Europa League semi-finals.”
Future Outlook and Fan Sentiment
The uneasiness over Tottenham’s future home was palpable in their last few home games. Now, fans are understandably concerned at the lurking threat of potential relegation and what that would entail for the club’s standing and financial clout. With performances consistently falling short of expectations, many supporters are losing faith in Postecoglou’s ability to turn things around.
Critics point out what’s at stake for Postecoglou. Should he be unable to orchestrate a turnaround, he will likely go down as one of the most un-Spurs-y managers ever. His tenure has been marred by a track record of terrible results that goes back much further than this season.
“This is no disrespect to Ange Postecoglou, but he will go down as one of the worst managers in Spurs’ modern history,” Sacks commented.
As Tottenham prepares for their next challenges, including crucial European fixtures, fans remain skeptical about whether the team can regain its former glory. The heat is on though for Postecoglou and especially for Levy to reconsider his approach in what comes next.
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