Jamie Redknapp less than happy with Tottenham Hotspur in meek home loss to Chelsea
Former Tottenham midfielder turned pundit Jamie Redknapp has shared his thoughts after Spurs succumbed to a 0-1 defeat against Chelsea on Saturday. Joao Pedro’s 34th-minute strike was enough to secure the win for the Blues. It was a lacklustre performance from the Lilywhites, as they struggled to create chances and managed just a single shot on target. The scoreline could have been far worse had the Blues capitalised on their opportunities.
After the full-time whistle had sounded, the Spurs players were booed off the field by supporters who were disappointed by the team’s display. Thomas Frank had asked Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence to acknowledge the fans. However, the defenders appeared to ignore the manager’s request and stormed straight down the tunnel.
During the post-match presser, Frank addressed the London derby defeat and admitted that it was the worst attacking performance by his team in his managerial career. Spurs recorded an xG of just 0.05, which is the lowest figure for expected goals since the 2012-13 season.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Redknapp slammed his former team’s performance and stated that it was ‘one of the worst’ performances that he had ever seen. The 52-year-old said (h/t Daily Mail):
That was as easy as it gets. If it was a boxing match, they’d have stopped it. Tottenham were so poor, they never laid a glove on Chelsea. They made it so easy. At least when I look at Chelsea tonight there is a bit of excitement, a bit of flair. They’re bringing on players with excitement in Estevao who can do something.
“Tottenham just looked pace-less today. They didn’t really have an idea of how to get up the pitch. And it just looked too easy for (Chelsea). This year, if you actually look at the Premier League there’s one outstanding side in Arsenal. They’re head and shoulders above everyone else. The rest are all really struggling. No one’s really finding that consistency.”
Good times ahead for Tottenham?
The Lilywhites had started the season strongly and had also secured a memorable 2-0 win against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in August. However, they have now suffered two successive defeats, as they also got knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Newcastle United in midweek after losing 2-0.
Spurs have dropped down to fourth place after Liverpool defeated Aston Villa 2-0 and moved up to third. Tottenham are now tied on points with Chelsea but enjoy a slightly better goal difference. With key players like Dominic Solanke, James Maddison, and Dejan Kulusevski set to return from injuries in the coming months, there is no doubt that Spurs’ attack will see a significant improvement.
Tottenham sold their star player Son Heung-min during the summer transfer window, which has left a void in the team. The Lilywhites have been linked with several attacking players ahead of the upcoming January transfer window. Rumours suggest that Thomas Frank is keen on reuniting with Igor Thiago and Kevin Schade; however, Brentford has no intention of selling either of their attackers.
