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Tottenham disappointed against Leeds. |
Tottenham came very close to victory against Leeds United when they took the lead at home, created a good enough game, and had many chances to finish off their opponents. However, everything fell apart in a familiar scenario for the North London team this season, where an individual mistake can always lead to chaos for the entire team.
When the final whistle blew at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Roberto De Zerbi pulled his black cap down over his head and walked away in despair. That image accurately reflected the current state of Spurs: fragile, unstable, and always on the verge of self-destruction.
The 1-1 draw against Leeds in the 36th round of the Premier League on the morning of May 12th not only caused Tottenham to miss the opportunity to move up in the relegation battle, but also exposed the problems that have plagued the club for many years. Spurs remain a team that doesn't know how to protect its advantage, lacks composure in crucial moments, and is increasingly losing the appearance of a strong team.
De Zerbi is understanding Spurs' pain.
Roberto De Zerbi hasn't been in charge of Tottenham for very long, but he seems to have quickly grasped why the team is always in disarray. Even when playing well, Spurs can still make themselves victims of silly mistakes.
Against Leeds, Tottenham actually started reasonably well, with Mathys Tel. scoring a spectacular opening goal, and the midfield maintaining a fairly stable tempo. The atmosphere at home was also more positive after a series of stressful days, especially as Spurs understood that a win would help them create a crucial gap from the relegation zone.
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Spurs are still fighting to avoid relegation. |
The home team even had a huge chance to seal the match when Richarlison faced the goal in a favorable position. However, the Brazilian striker shot the ball over the crossbar in a way that left the entire stadium stunned.
That moment immediately brought with it a familiar sense of unease. The Tottenham players began to slow down, their movements became heavier, and De Zerbi reacted angrily on the touchline, sensing the fragility in his team's performance.
The Italian manager understands very well that Tottenham this season lacks the ability to control their emotions when they have the advantage. Just one moment of lapse in concentration and the entire structure immediately collapses.
What De Zerbi feared finally came true in the second half. Mathys Tel, the hero who scored the opening goal, unexpectedly became the villain with a clumsy overhead kick in the penalty area that left Ethan Ampadu writhing in pain on the ground. VAR quickly confirmed the penalty, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin didn't miss the opportunity to equalize.
De Zerbi could only look up to the sky in helplessness, knowing that Tottenham had once again thrown away the victory with their own hands.
It's worth noting that Spurs didn't lose points because their opponents were superior. They lost everything themselves due to weak mentality and repeated mistakes throughout the season.
A big team is losing itself.
The most frightening thing for Tottenham right now isn't the draw against Leeds, but the feeling that things are spiraling into an increasingly irreversible situation.
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Spurs no longer resemble the team that once competed for the Premier League title or reached the Champions League final a few years ago. |
Spurs no longer resemble the team that once competed for the Premier League title or reached the Champions League final a few years ago. They play with constant anxiety, repeatedly make elementary mistakes, and lack the composure to react when things go wrong.
After Leeds' equalizer, Tottenham played like a team just waiting for the next blow. Without Antonin Kinsky's spectacular saves, Spurs would likely have suffered a defeat at home.
The young Czech goalkeeper became a rare bright spot, making a series of crucial saves under immense pressure, especially his incredible reflex save against Sean Longstaff's shot in injury time. That could have been the game-changer, saving Tottenham's hopes of avoiding relegation.
However, a big club cannot survive forever on such individual rescue moments. What Spurs lack is not only technical quality, but also the stability and character of a great team.
Over the years, Tottenham have constantly changed managers, philosophies, and even squads. However, the biggest problem remains: they always collapse at the most crucial moments.
De Zerbi may bring modern football ideas and try to inject energy from the wing, but even he can't fix everything in just a few weeks. Especially when this team has become accustomed to living with feelings of disappointment and insecurity.
Tottenham can no longer afford to think about beautiful football or grand goals. Their only priority is survival, but even that seems precarious after the draw against Leeds.
If West Ham win against Newcastle, Spurs will fall back into the relegation zone before their trip to Chelsea. That nightmare scenario is entirely possible, especially as Tottenham are losing both confidence and stability during this crucial period.
What's even more worrying is that Spurs are no longer using their home ground as a source of strength. Tottenham haven't won a Premier League home game since last December, and every match now feels like a psychological test they're consistently failing.
De Zerbi may lose his temper on the touchline, react to the referee, or urge his players to play more aggressively, but what Tottenham needs most right now is not anger. They need to rediscover the character they have lost over the years.
If they fail to do that, Spurs could very well continue digging their own grave until they are relegated to the Championship, much to the shock of English football.
Source: https://znews.vn/tottenham-tu-keo-minh-xuong-vuc-post1650580.html
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