In the build-up to Tottenham Hotspur's latest Premier League fixture, the fanbase turned up. As the team bus wound through the N17 streets, there was a festival atmosphere (albeit a slightly sombre one) as a huge showdown loomed.
But Spurs were abject against Nottingham Forest, who won 3-0 and leapfrogged ahead of their relegation rivals. West Ham United's defeat at Aston Villa has tempered the blow, but the fact remains that the pull of relegation is growing stronger and stronger.
When the full-time whistle screeched and the boos chorused around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, it became clear that Igor Tudor's position had become untenable, though whether ENIC Group will make another change with just two months of the season left remains to be seen.
The latest on Tudor's Spurs future
Tudor was unable to partake in his post-match duties due to a family emergency, but it's clear that the Tottenham interim manager would have accepted that his outfit are in dire straits, had he spoken to the media.
He's only been in the job for little over a month, but the Croatian simply isn't getting the best out of these players, and surely a change is needed.
Mauricio Pochettino remains at the top of the wish list, with Spurs insider John Wenham even claiming that he's "“still come if we were in the Championship”.
However, with the USMNT boss preparing for the World Cup in north America this summer, it's incredibly unlikely that he would make a sensational return to north London for the remainder of the campaign.
Therefore, TEAMtalk have revealed that Ferencvaros boss Robbie Keane could be the saviour that Spurs are searching for, with Tudor unlikely to still be in charge when a trip to Sunderland is required after the international break.
Keane, ex-Spurs forward, has expressed a willingness to take the job and steer the N17 side to safety, and now that his Hungarian outfit have been knocked out of the Europa League, the pathway seems rather clear.
Talks were reportedly held a few weeks ago so there is allegedly already a direct line of communication between all parties.
Why Keane would be an upgrade on Tudor
Keane, 44, is right at the start of his managerial career, but he's already established himself as one of Europe's brightest young coaches after a stint with Maccabi Tel Aviv and now Ferencvaros.
His front-footed and high-energy tactical flavour would align with the way that Tottenham want to play, but the plain truth is that Spurs just need to find a manager who will scare off relegation.
Tudor's three-man backline and questionable training methods have proved a curious combination for this imperilled Spurs side, who, quite simply, have not responded to his methods, with the spirited draw against Liverpool now looking like a lonely outlier as far as performances are concerned.
Succintly, Tottenham have been shorn of coherence in attack and stripped of confidence in defence. There are too many problems to count, and someone who can restore some identity and culture about this Lilywhites side could prove the hero over the next several weeks.
Expected Goals (xG) is a metric designed to measure the probability of a shot resulting in a goal.
Keane understands that To Dare Is To Do and the hope would be that he would galvanise the beleaguered players into action. After all, the former Republic of Ireland striker has been hailed as a "legend" by former teammate Teddy Sheringham.
We have sadly reached a point in which tactical analysis could almost be thrown out the window. An upswing in confidence would be more valuable than a reinforced coaching drill at this stage.
Keane, who is already earning his flowers as a tactician, understands Tottenham and would provide the boost that they so desperately need to escape from this nightmare which threatens to consume them.