Another day, another insipid Tottenham Hotspur performance. There is no shame in losing to Liverpool but the battering that Spurs received at Anfield was another reminder of how disappointing this season has been.
The North London side came into the game with a slight first-leg advantage and were hoping to reach the Carabao Cup final to bring some joy to a miserable season. However, Spurs were blown away, they were battered 4-0 and failed to get any of their 5 shots on target and created a measly xG of 0.19.
Liverpool on the other hand fired 26 shots 10 of which were on target for a combined xG of 4.37. In short, Tottenham failed to compete.
Tottenham have been wide open this season and the buck stops with head coach, Ange Postecoglou. He has been criticized for his gung-ho style that leaves his team vulnerable to counter attacks and this season it has been a real problem.
They have not been helped by injuries either, key players Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Guglielmo Vicario, and Rodrigo Bentancur amongst others have all missed time due to injuries meaning fringe players such as Archie Gray, Djed Spence and Ben Davies have featured more than Spurs would like.
This means the risky plan A that has come to define Spurs cannot be relied upon and the quality of execution has reduced.
However, the numbers make for grim reading. Spurs currently sit 14th in the league with 27 points from 24 games their worst performance in close to 20 years. The ease with which teams play through them and create chances has been their downfall.
Spurs have one of the best attacks in the league. Their 48 goals from an xG of 39.7 ranks 3rd and 6th respectively showing that going forward they are a potent force but keeping opponents out remains a real problem. Spurs have conceded 37 goals or 1.54 a game, the 12th worst mark in the league, not good enough for a team with European ambitions.
However, when you dig deeper the numbers are more troubling. They are 16th for xG against with 40.5 showing how many more chances they give up compared to most teams. This is likely because their opponents get 0.13 xG per non-penalty shot, the 3rd highest mark in the league. It is not helped by the fact that they are not particularly good at stopping shots and eventually it adds up.
In addition, teams seem quite able to get in their penalty area as about 73% of the shots they have faced are in the box, the 3rd highest proportion.
Their weakness in transition has long been noted and exploited ruthlessly this season. They have faced 30 fast break shots and conceded 5 goals from these shots which is the 3rd highest in both categories. Considering teams average only 42.7% possession against them, the 3rd lowest in the league they should be limiting these opportunities better.
Spurs have also been the architects of their own downfall, their 26 errors leading to shots is the 4th highest in the league showing in addition to the structural issues they are also careless. All these issues combined raise questions about head coach, Ange Postecoglou and his ability to lead the team to titles.
The Australian has cut a sullen figure in his press conferences and his defeated air makes one wonder if he can motivate the team to do better. Results are likely to improve when players return but by then there might be very little to play for. Whatever the case Postecoglou should be out of the job before the start of next season, barring a miracle Europa League victory, he has shown that he is not the man to lead this club long term and Daniel Levy should be preparing for life after Ange.
