A Premier League winner believes Tottenham are heading for relegation based on current form as the crisis deepens
Former Premier League defender Joleon Lescott has said Tottenham are firmly on course for relegation this season if their current trajectory continues. The club sits 16th in the table, one point above the relegation places with just nine matches remaining.
Igor Tudor's catastrophic tenure as Spurs manager suffered another devastating blow on Tuesday with a 5-2 thrashing at Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. The north London outfit now face elimination from the last 16 unless they can produce an extraordinary turnaround in the reverse fixture.
Lescott, 43, featured on the latest instalment of the All Out Football podcast alongside Mirror Sport's Andy Dunn and offered a bleak evaluation of Spurs' outlook between now and May. After conceding four goals in the opening 22 minutes in Madrid, a crisis of confidence threatens to herald an unprecedented chapter in the club's history.
"Honestly, in terms of form, yeah," said former Manchester City and England defender Lescott when asked if Spurs are on the way to the Championship. "Because again, speaking about experience, none of their players have experienced this fight.
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"I know last season was bad, but they had a positive or a bonus of a distraction [winning the Europa League], like Europe was their kind of shining light in that season. Whereas this season now, we're talking about players and fans that don't know what it feels like to be in this fight.
"Like if you're saying you're a Forest or a West Ham, they go behind, their fans still support their team because they know they're likely going to go behind. Now we have to get behind them to get in front and stuff and fight behind that.
"Whereas Spurs fans now are like, 'Oh, this is nerve wracking'. And then players are like, 'Oh, I don't want that pass. I don't want to show for the ball there'. But it becomes very edgy potentially."
Lescott drew upon his personal experience of suffering relegation with Aston Villa in 2016, highlighting how "players go missing all of a sudden." He discussed the heightened influence pressure exerts on certain players' decision-making, with some potentially attempting to protect their individual standing.
"Say a forward where he's taken a shot when he's full of confidence, now it needs to be perfect," he continued. "Now I need to see the whole goal rather than half of the goal.
"And then as a defender, say for me, you're thinking, 'I don't want to play that ball into midfield in case it doesn't get there, and I'll go wide', but now the opportunity is gone. So there's so many elements that you probably don't realise when you're down there."
Tuesday's loss to Atletico represented yet another damning reflection of Spurs' campaign, and consequently Tudor's fledgling reign. The Croat tactician has suffered defeat in each of his four matches since taking charge, including two London derbies supporters would have hoped to win (against Fulham and Crystal Palace).
Injuries have regrettably hindered Tottenham's prospects, but the club's recent spending indicates they have the squad depth required to put up a stronger fight than what fans have seen so far. And Lescott is among those who believe the unthinkable could transpire by May as the threat of relegation looms larger.