Tottenham Hotspur were not up to their usual standards against Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup
Tottenham’s Carabao Cup campaign came to an abrupt end as the Lilywhites suffered a 2-0 defeat to last year’s cup holders, Newcastle United, in the fourth round of the competition. The loss at St. James’ Park also marked the North London club’s first away defeat of the season under Thomas Frank. It is fair to say the players looked off the pace and were nowhere near the required level to compete with the Magpies.
Few expected Spurs to go toe-to-toe with Eddie Howe’s side when the draw was announced. Newcastle have maintained an impressive record at home against Tottenham, winning their last four meetings at St. James’ Park across all competitions. As a result, expectations were understandably low that Thomas Frank’s men could pull off a positive result in such a hostile environment.
Nevertheless, fans hoped to see some hunger and fight from the Lilywhites despite the difficult conditions. Instead, Spurs failed to show any real desire or intensity to produce an upset. Individual mistakes and a lack of basic application on the pitch proved costly, denying the North Londoners a chance to progress to the next round and ending their hopes of competing on all fronts this season.
Tottenham need to step up in other competitions following Carabao Cup exit
Beyond the result, Tottenham’s performance raised deeper concerns among supporters. The Lilywhites spent large parts of the game on the back foot, allowing Newcastle United to dominate possession and create chances at will. The gulf in quality and intensity between the two sides was clear to see, underlining how much work Thomas Frank still has ahead of him despite the team’s promising start to the campaign.
Taking to X after the game, Jamie O’Hara voiced his frustrations with the team’s display. The ex-Spurs player said,
“Shambles tonight don’t look like scoring, was a tough draw but expected bit more of a fight have to just accept that we’re not that good.”
O’Hara acknowledged that Spurs faced a difficult challenge, but he still expected more spirit and determination from the side. The former player believes Thomas Frank’s men must accept that they remain some way off competing with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City, leaving the Danish tactician with plenty to fix at N17.
While disappointment over the Carabao Cup exit is understandable, it is important to remember that Spurs remain a work in progress under Thomas Frank. The ex-Brentford boss is still settling into his role, and it will take time before the Lilywhites can realistically bridge the gap with their Premier League rivals. For now, their focus should remain on maintaining strong league form and pushing for European qualification by the end of the season.
Tottenham’s next game is against Chelsea at home in the league. This is a fantastic opportunity for Thomas Frank to rectify the mistakes made against the Magpies and enter the game against the Blues with profound confidence and belief. Three points against their London rivals would put Thomas Frank’s men in a strong position on the Premier League table as we slowly approach the November international break.
