Was this new low for 'abject' Spurs - and what happened to 'Ange-ball'? - Voice of Asia

Tottenham Hotspur suffered a crushing defeat to Liverpool in the League Cup semi-final second leg, a loss that could be described as "awful," "damaging," and "embarrassing." At Anfield, Spurs were thrashed 0-4, with Liverpool overturning the aggregate score, ending their hopes of lifting a trophy for the first time in 17 years. This match also exposed the tip of the iceberg of many problems Spurs have faced this season.

Under the leadership of Ange Postecoglou, the Australian coach known for his attacking style, Spurs failed to register a single shot on target for the first time in a match. They posed virtually no threat to Liverpool. Former Spurs midfielder Jamie Redknapp commented on Sky Sports: "I just can't understand not having a shot on target in a semi-final. They were so poor." This performance raised serious questions about the team's attacking capabilities and tactical approach.

Redknapp also stated: "I can't remember in my lifetime seeing a team roll over as easily as Tottenham did tonight. There have been some low points, but the scoreline tonight was absolutely dreadful." Spurs have only won one trophy since Daniel Levy became chairman in 2001. Although Postecoglou stated in September that he "always" wins something in his second season, raising hopes that Spurs' fortunes were about to change, the team's recent performance casts doubt on that prospect.

Entering the second leg of the cup semi-final with a 1-0 lead, this may have been his best opportunity to achieve that goal, but now Tottenham Hotspur must look to other competitions for silverware. Former Manchester United defender Dion Dublin said on BBC Radio 5 Live: "I didn't like the body language of the Spurs players – they were just jogging around. With Liverpool's attitude to winning, they made it look like a training session." The lack of intensity and urgency from Spurs was a major concern.

The last time the two teams met was in the league, with Liverpool winning a thrilling match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium by a score of 6-3. Although that was also a heavy defeat, Spurs' performance this time was a far cry from that game. It was also a far cry from "Ange ball" – the high-tempo, high-pressing, entertaining style that fans have become accustomed to under Postecoglou. In that 6-3 loss, their defense was open, but they were also able to score goals. But in Thursday's game, it was hard to see them scoring at all.

This season, Spurs have averaged 13.9 shots per 90 minutes, with 5.6 on target. But at Anfield, they only had five shots, none of which were on target. They only had eight touches in the opposition box, compared to Liverpool's 55. They completed 41 passes in the attacking third, while the Reds had 147. Former Spurs defender Michael Dawson said: "Is that what I expected? No. I expected more fight from the players. They didn't show any personality. With or without the ball, there was no desire to keep the ball out of the net. To come here and get beat 4-0 and not have a shot on target… it's damaging."

Postecoglou appeared to instruct his team to adopt a deep defensive approach, sometimes even using a five-man defense, to protect their 1-goal lead from the first leg. This was a stark contrast to his usual style, and it didn't work. Spurs invited pressure and were unable to respond in attack, with new signing Timo Werner coming on as a substitute but failing to make an impact. Redknapp said: "Everyone seems to have found a way to beat this Tottenham team. And the manager at the moment is sometimes confusing me with his tactics. I think he's completely lost as to what he wants to do."

Spurs' problems cannot be analyzed in isolation from their injury situation. They currently have 10 first-team players out injured, and that number could rise to 11, as Richarlison was substituted in the first half with a calf injury. The absence of James Maddison in midfield is a clear loss, and with the likes of Micky van de Ven and Brennan Johnson also on the injury list, Spurs are finding it difficult to find a way through in attack. Liverpool overwhelmed Spurs' three-man midfield, with Yves Bissouma struggling and giving the ball away for the home side's first goal, while Rodrigo Bentancur offered little in the way of defense or attack.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher said: "When I looked at those three midfield players today, they were a disgrace. Go and press them, be aggressive, maybe forget about playing for the first 30 minutes. Liverpool won too easily." Son Heung-min has also failed to reach the heights of his previous seasons, rarely producing the moments of brilliance he has shown in the past. Carragher added: "It goes back to what we all think about Tottenham. There's definitely a mental block at this club. This is a typical Tottenham team now. People were saying Ange has given the fans their Tottenham back, their club back. Yeah… they've got the club we've watched for 40 years. When it's going well, they're great to watch, but they can never win the big games and when they get beat, they get battered."

Spurs have been in poor form in the Premier League – sitting in 14th place with eight defeats. However, the potential to win a trophy in his second season has kept Spurs fans confident in Postecoglou. The 59-year-old coach led South Melbourne and Brisbane Roar to A-League titles and Yokohama F. Marinos to the J-League title – all in his second season or second full season. He won trophies in both of his seasons at Celtic – including a domestic treble in his second season. The three clubs where he didn't win a trophy were clubs he didn't complete two seasons at – Panachaiki, Whittlesea Zebras and Melbourne Victory.

Spurs have now squandered one of their three opportunities to bring silverware to North London – perhaps the best one. Postecoglou said: "We've given up a good opportunity tonight, we can't shy away from that. We were in a good position to get to a final." However, all hope is not lost. While they now face a tough prospect in the FA Cup fourth round against Aston Villa on Sunday, they have also reached the last 16 of the Europa League. Opta's "supercomputer" has Tottenham Hotspur as the second-favorites to win the competition, with a 15% chance of success, behind only Italian side Lazio (19%). Athletic Bilbao also have a 15% chance of success, while Manchester United have a 10% chance of lifting the trophy.

Back-to-back wins had temporarily masked a difficult season for Postecoglou after a poor run of three wins in 10 games. In recent weeks, fans have directed their frustrations at Levy and the club's owners, rather than their coach, but Postecoglou has been given reinforcements in the transfer window, and this defeat will put the spotlight back on the head coach – whose side faces Manchester United, Ipswich and Manchester City in their next three league games. Postecoglou said: "I thought Liverpool deserved to win. They were the better team – we didn't control the game. We allowed them into the game and we weren't aggressive enough as we needed to be. We didn't start the game on the right foot. We struggled to get control back."