Tottenham Hotspur were beaten by Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup.
Spurs fans were hopeful of getting a result against the European champions, but they were always the underdogs going into the game.
However, the manner of the defeat is what broke the supporters’ hearts.
Tottenham were leading 2-0 until the 84th minute, and you would expect a top side to see it out. Unfortunately for them, PSG scored twice, took the game to penalties and won the shootout.
Jamie O’Hara thinks he knows the reason why Spurs lost.
Jamie O’Hara pinpoints Thomas Frank’s mistake during Tottenham vs PSG
Thomas Frank deserves immense praise for his tactics against PSG.
The Dane got it spot on and completely bamboozled Luis Enrique’s side. The European champions had no answer to Spurs’ way of playing for the first 70 minutes.
Tottenham were in complete control of the game at that point and were on track to lift the trophy in Udine on Wednesday night.
However, PSG pulled one back in the 85th minute and then equalised in the 94th to take the game to a penalty shootout, which they won.
O’Hara watched the game, and he felt that Frank made one mistake that cost him the game – substitutions.
He said on talkSPORT: “The only thing I can say is that Thomas Frank got the subs wrong, and the players that came on should be ashamed of themselves.
“Nowhere near good enough. Nowhere near up to the standard, up to the level. You’ve got to get up to the levels quickly. You’ve got to get up to pace, you’ve got to be up to speed, you’ve got to get tight, you’ve got to stop crosses, you’ve got to stop the ball coming in your box and causing problems.
“The last 20 minutes, just kicking the ball away. It wasn’t good enough.”
Key stat shows Tottenham’s substitutes offered nothing vs PSG
One of the biggest reasons why Tottenham barely faced any problems against PSG in the first 70 minutes was that they were brave on the ball.
Late in the game, Spurs became content with kicking the ball away and inviting pressure.
That happened when Frank started making substitutions, and the four players he brought on the pitch didn’t touch the ball enough.
A combined 14 touches of the ball from the four substitutes is simply not good enough, which is why O’Hara feels that Frank got his changes wrong.
Tottenham lost the ability to carry the ball and keep it high up the pitch after Richarlison and Mohammed Kudus were taken off.
Spurs fans can only wonder what would’ve happened if he kept them on the pitch.