Tottenham are struggling to find rhythm and consistency in the Premier League this season.
Tottenham suffered a significant blow to their hopes of qualifying for Europe next season after being beaten by relegation contenders West Ham United in the Premier League on Saturday. The Hammers became the seventh team to secure all three points at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season, underlining that Thomas Frank and his players appear to have run out of ideas as their campaign threatens to descend into embarrassment.
The loud boos and jeers ringing around N17 were clear evidence that the fans have seen enough and believe a change is needed at the club. Frank must take some responsibility for the dismal campaign the North Londoners are currently enduring. However, more than the Danish tactician, it is the players who seem to have stopped caring, as they have looked lost on the pitch for large parts of games.
A recent report suggested that the squad had grown “bored” of Thomas Frank’s tactics, with players not being allowed to express themselves on the pitch. That has appeared to serve as an excuse for the team to down tools, as they were knocked out of both domestic cup competitions at the earliest possible stage. The opportunity to build on last season’s Europa League success has now gone out of the window following the latest defeat to West Ham in the Premier League.
Tottenham players are equally to blame for the current mess at N17
It is clear that significant chopping and changing is required at Spurs if the club is to close the gap on its rivals in the coming months. The players have downed their tools, and it seems they are not willing to turn their Premier League fortunes around. Much of the squad has underperformed to such an extent that it is difficult to see the North Londoners having anything meaningful to fight for in the second half of the campaign.
Jamie O’Hara has now claimed that the Spurs players are not good enough to secure a top-half finish in the Premier League this season. Speaking on talkSPORT, O’Hara said, handing an uncomfortable truth about where the team stands:
“The club is in a mess. They found themselves in a mess with bad recruitment and poor management style. They thought Thomas Frank would come in and steady the ship, get us playing decent football or winning games. But it hasn’t worked. The squad’s not good enough. It ain’t as bad as losing at home to West Ham. It’s not that bad.”
The pundit added,
“It’s not a great squad, but it’s a mid-table squad at best right now. We are a ‘top-10’ club. That’s where we are. You have to look at the whole infrastructure of this club. There are some good players in this team, but they are not performing anywhere near to the standard they’re capable of. They’re not playing for the shirt.”
O’Hara has blamed poor recruitment at N17 for the mess Spurs find themselves in. The players brought in have failed to significantly improve the squad’s quality. On the other hand, the team has also been unable to showcase its true ability this season, struggling to implement Thomas Frank’s system and tactics during the first half of the campaign. O’Hara also believes that the players are not playing for the badge and are comfortable with the current situation at Hotspur Way.
The onus now falls on the Spurs hierarchy to make the necessary changes for the second half of the campaign. It goes without saying that the Lilywhites cannot afford to finish in the bottom half of the Premier League table in back-to-back seasons. An upturn in fortunes is required, even if it means taking the tough decision to relieve Thomas Frank of his duties and making wholesale changes to the squad midway through the season.