18 losses in 33 matches. Tottenham Hotspur has written another humiliating chapter in its history. At this rate, achieving 20 losses for the first time since the inception of the Premier League (PL) is not impossible.
Tottenham lost 1-2 to Nottingham Forest in the 33rd round of the 2024-2025 season PL matchup held at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, UK, on the 22nd (Korea time).
As a result of this loss, Tottenham has remained at 37 points (11 wins, 4 draws, and 18 losses) and dropped to 16th place. They are only 1 point ahead of 17th place West Ham United (36 points) but have already secured their stay regardless of the outcomes of the remaining matches.
On the other hand, Nottingham has climbed to 3rd place with 60 points, surpassing Newcastle United (59 points). If this continues, a qualification for the UEFA Champions League (UCL) for the first time in 44 years since 1981 is feasible. This will also be a first since the inception of the PL in 1992. Nottingham is writing history alongside coach Nuno Espírito Santo, who was dismissed from Tottenham just four months ago.
Tottenham, led by coach Ange Postecoglou, started with a 4-3-3 formation. Matheus Tel, Richarlison, and Wilson Odobert were forwards, Rodrigo Bentancur, Pape Sarr, and Dejan Kulusevski were in midfield, while Jed Spence, Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, and Pedro Porro were in defense, with Guglielmo Vicario as goalkeeper. Son Heung-min was again excluded due to a foot injury.
Nottingham faced Tottenham with a 4-2-3-1 formation. Chris Wood, Danilo, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Anthony Elanga were at the front, Elliott Anderson, Nicolás Domínguez, Harry Toffolo, Murillo, Nikola Milenković, and Neco Williams were in defense, with Mats Selz starting in goal.
Tottenham was shaky from the start. Just 5 minutes into the match, they conceded the opening goal. In a corner kick situation, the ball spilled out and Anderson connected with a powerful shot that deflected off Bentancur and into the net after hitting Vicario.
Nottingham continued to press. In the 10th minute of the first half, Wood scored after receiving a sharp early cross from Anderson. However, Wood was ruled offside by a matter of inches as his shoulder was ahead of the final defensive line.
Wood managed to shake Tottenham's net. In the 16th minute of the first half, after a quick free kick, Elanga curled in a cross from the left, which Wood finished off with a header, making it 2-0.
Tottenham swallowed their disappointment. In the 40th minute of the first half, Tel had a decisive chance due to a mistake by the opponent just in front of the goal. However, his shot went wildly off target. Both Postecoglou and Tel could not hide their disappointment. The first half ended with Nottingham leading 2-0, and the Tottenham home fans booed.
Tottenham utilized their substitution cards right at the beginning of the second half. Coach Postecoglou brought on Kevin Danso and Ben Davies, taking off Romero and Van de Ven. It appeared he was resting the two center backs who have been injury-prone, considering they are all in on the UEFA Europa League (UEL).
Faced with the prospect of being helpless at home, Tottenham attacked more aggressively than in the first half. With a two-goal lead, Nottingham focused on defense while waiting for a chance for a counterattack.
Goals were hard to come by. Tottenham struggled to score due to poor decision-making and the opponent's goalkeeper's saves. In the 28th minute of the second half, Kulusevski's well-placed header was blocked by Toffolo with a crucial defensive play. Postecoglou brought in Dominic Solanke, Brennan Johnson, and Lucas Beriwal.
Tottenham pulled a goal back. In the 42nd minute of the second half, Richarlison headed in a cross from the right. But that was it. Tottenham finished the match without leveling the score.
Thus, Tottenham recorded two losses against Nottingham in the league for the first time since the 1996-1997 season, marking a blemish on their record. They led in the number of shots, 22 to 3, but it was a meaningless metric. Allowing Nottingham to achieve a 'double' over them is a humiliation not experienced in 28 years. Tottenham also lost 0-1 to Nottingham in an away match last December.
This is not the end. Tottenham has written another humiliating chapter alongside coach Postecoglou, recording its 18th loss this season, the highest number of defeats since the 1993-1994 season.
Moreover, there are still 5 league matches remaining. Coach Postecoglou has a real chance to surpass Osvaldo Ardiles' record of 19 losses. If they lose two more times, it could mark the first time in Tottenham's PL history that they achieve 20 losses.
After the match, coach Postecoglou said the same as always. In an interview with Sky Sports, he noted, "It's disappointing. It was a match we absolutely should not have lost. We missed a goal. I was really disappointed with the goals we conceded. The frustrating part is that our football was excellent. We couldn't have had more of an advantage than we did."
He also added, "We've seen this throughout the season. We just conceded a terrible goal and created a mountain we need to climb. It's not that mistakes are happening repeatedly. There's a lack of concentration and focus throughout the match."
[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited), Squaka social media.
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