Ange Postecoglou on 'thin ice' at Tottenham after 'unacceptable' loss

Tottenham Hotspur are in a worsening situation, having lost six of their last 10 games, fallen to defeat against their biggest rivals, and are closer to the relegation zone than the top four. Following their 2-1 loss to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, Spurs sit 13th with 24 points, 14 points adrift of fourth-placed Newcastle, but only eight points above 18th-placed Wolves.

Son Heung-min's goal in the 25th minute briefly sparked cheers from Tottenham fans, but it was their last shot on target, as Arsenal scored twice in four minutes to come back and win. "We were nowhere near good enough today," Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou said after the game. "To be so passive in the first half in such an important game is unacceptable. We paid the price for it."

Former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer believes Tottenham's form will worry the club's fans. "There's no doubt that Tottenham fans must be concerned," he said on Match of the Day. "I know they have injuries, but you can't have your manager coming out after a game against your rivals and saying the team was nowhere near good enough. It’s not acceptable.”

This season, Tottenham have already lost 11 Premier League games, their most at this stage of a single campaign (they also lost 11 in 1997-98, 2003-04, and 2008-09). Only the three teams currently in the relegation zone – Wolves, Leicester City, and Southampton – have lost more league games than Tottenham this season. Since their 4-1 victory over Aston Villa on November 3, Tottenham have lost eight, drawn four, and won only five of their 17 games in all competitions, although three of those victories were against Manchester City (4-0 away), Manchester United (4-3 home), and Liverpool (1-0 home).

Tottenham have failed to win in their last five Premier League matches; their last longest winless run was from November 6 to December 7, 2023. This season, Spurs have dropped 18 points from winning positions in the Premier League – only Fulham (19) have dropped more. Spurs have won only one of their last nine Premier League games (drawing two and losing six), that victory coming against bottom-of-the-table Southampton (5-0). In fact, since this run of games started, only Leicester City (4 points) and Southampton (1 point) have earned fewer points in the Premier League than Spurs (5 points).

Spurs have not finished outside the top 10 in the Premier League since 2007-08, when they finished 11th, but won the League Cup. After losing to Arsenal in the first North London Derby of the season in September, Postecoglou confidently proclaimed that he would “always win a trophy in the second season.” These comments were intended to allay fan fears of a trophyless season, but instead, as Postecoglou himself has said, they have been used to mock him following poor results.

With Tottenham entering the Europa League and leading Liverpool 1-0 on aggregate in the League Cup, silverware is still within reach. But Postecoglou knows that results must improve quickly. "Of course, losing hurts me. It's unacceptable. Too many games have been lost this year. Too many games have slipped through our fingers. It needs to stop."

Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown believes the pressure is mounting on Postecoglou, saying his style of play sometimes comes at a cost as they continue to play a high-pressing game. "Tottenham are taking too many risks, and Arsenal took their chances – the game was very open," Keown said on TNT Sports. "Manchester United could go above Spurs. It's a tough moment for them, and the manager is under pressure." Former Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon added: "One win in nine games - that's not good enough. It's causing a lot of unrest in the (Tottenham) camp. If they don't get to the League Cup semi-finals, then there will be big problems."

Son Heung-min stated that the players also need to step up and take responsibility. "It's also up to the players," the forward said. "You have to listen to what we want to do. I don't think we're disciplined enough. We have to do better in every aspect. When you look at the table, it's not good enough." Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand criticized Tottenham's defending, saying: "It's like watching an under-18s game, kids are figuring it out themselves. I would be screaming at my goalkeeper and defenders. Play on top of the press, don't go into the press."

It must be taken into account that Tottenham have a lengthy injury list - they had nine players missing before the North London Derby. Their defense, in particular, has been hit hard, with goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, Destiny Udogie, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, and Ben Davies all sidelined through injury. But despite this, Spurs fans will feel that they still have enough in their squad to be challenging higher up the table. Former Tottenham and Liverpool striker Peter Crouch said on TNT Sports: "We all know about the injury problems, but two 18-year-olds (Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray) were the best players. If I was a more experienced player, I'd be embarrassed. I look at Son, and it's been a disappointing season for him. They need players back - that team isn't good enough in the league. I don't think they'll catch the top teams."

Ferdinand believes Postecoglou needs to be more flexible with his approach. "Maybe he has to be more adaptable tactically," he added. "I understand and respect Ange's principles, but given the injuries, you surely have to tweak them. Adaptability is wise at this point." Tottenham's next match is away to David Moyes' Everton on Sunday (14:00 GMT), a game that Postecoglou knows is vital. "There's no other way to look at it," he said. "If you give up now, there's no point. Now we have an important game against Everton this weekend. That's our focus."