TBR Football

Danny Murphy highlighted one major flaw in Tottenham Hotspur’s game, which ended up costing them dearly against Crystal Palace.

Tottenham suffered yet another defeat in the Premier League this season as they were beaten 2-0 at home by Crystal Palace.

Ange Postecoglou fielded a heavily rotated Spurs team as he made eight changes from his Europa League-winning team against Bodo/Glimt last week.

But whilst Spurs supporters have a Europa League final to look forward to, they remain frustrated at yet another poor result and performance.

Ange Postecoglou set Tottenham up vs Crystal Palace with ‘no defensive plan’

Danny Murphy has slammed Tottenham Hotspur’s defensive set-up against Crystal Palace as Ange Postecoglou’s team suffered a 20th league defeat of the season.

The former Spurs midfielder believes the hosts had ‘no defensive plan’ and suggested that the Australian manager did ‘not set up a plan in training before the game to stop Palace’.

When discussing several of Palace’s best chances, Murphy told BBC MOTD: “Tottenham, the back four is all over the place, Spence gets caught tucked in occupying Sarr and then Tel’s too late to get back in. But there’s no defensive plan – they’re just off the cuff. Spence is tracking back Mateta here, he doesn’t even see Munoz and Davies isn’t talking to him.

“Spence has followed Sarr all the way in – he’s not looked once left to see where Munoz is. This is just a tactical thing, they’re outnumbered, they’re not communicating and they’ve not set up a plan in training before the game to stop Palace – even though we know how they’re going to play.”

Speaking about Palace’s first goal, Murphy added: “Spence jumps out, this time you’ve got your holding midfielder, Bentancur, playing at left wing back trying to track Munoz – the most dynamic wing back in the league – Tottenham were absolutely all over the place.”

Tottenham finally need to make firm move for Eberechi Eze

Eberechi Eze showed Tottenham what they have been missing out on as the forward netted twice against the North London club.

Tottenham have been keen on Eze since his time at QPR, but have never firmed up their interest enough to make a move for the 27-year-old.

Eze couldn’t help but smile when a Tottenham fan asked him to join prior to the game and Sunday’s clash felt very much like an audition.

Eberechi Eze scored twice to inflict a 2-0 defeat on Tottenham.

The England international scored in each half to secure victory for Crystal Palace in N17 – a first away win in the league for the Eagles over Spurs since 1997.

TBR Football understand Tottenham are keen to sign Eze as he continues to go from strength to strength at Crystal Palace.

The man from Greenwich has now scored 12 goals and provided 11 assists in 40 appearances across all competitions this season.

As Eberechi Eze prepared to leave the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday, he generously signed a few matchday programmes for Spurs fans, who urged him to join their beloved club.

Eberechi Eze smirks after being asked to join Tottenham

The Crystal Palace No.10 gave a cheeky grin and a sideways glance after one Tottenham fan asked him to leave the south Londoners for the north Londoners.

It may have simply been a nice way for Eze to say “I can’t answer that” to the supporter in question, although previous rumours suggest there could be more to it.

Spurs are in a strong position to sign Eberechi Eze

Tottenham arranged a private box for Eze and his entourage last season, interestingly on the day Crystal Palace travelled to N17 for an away day.

Tom Allnutt of The Times told The Tottenham Way podcast: “It was interesting to me that Eze and his entourage had basically a full box to themselves at Tottenham. I don’t know if that’s entirely normal for an opposition player to have a whole suite of their friends and family and presumably, a couple of agents. I know Eze belongs to (CAA) Base who are an agency very connected with Spurs, but I did wonder if there was a bit of wooing going on there.”

As Allnutt mentions, the 26-year-old is represented by CAA Base, who have strong ties to Spurs.

The agency also manage Ange Postecoglou, Richarlison, James Maddison, Pedro Porro, Heung-min Son, Pape Sarr and Djed Spence, so if Eze does end up moving to Tottenham, it would not surprise us one bit.

Ange Postecoglou’s second season at Tottenham has taken a historic turn for all the wrong reasons in domestic competition.

His debut season was fantastic and it promised an exciting new era under the Australian, however, the second season has fallen way below expectations.

The 2-0 defeat at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday marked another poor result for Tottenham, who have been dismal in the Premier League.

And now, that result has placed Postecoglou in the club’s history books for all the wrong reasons.

Ange Postecoglou breaks unwanted Tottenham record

Tottenham’s defeat to Crystal Palace wasn’t just another disappointing day at the office, it was a record-breaking one.

The result marked the club’s 20th defeat in the Premier League this season, making Postecoglou the first Spurs manager to lose that many games in a single league campaign.

He surpasses the previous unwanted records held by Ossie Ardiles, who lost 19 games in the 1993/94 season, and Gerry Francis, who oversaw 18 defeats in 1996/97.

Injuries have contributed to the poor form. But for many fans, the sheer volume of losses, often in winnable fixtures points to problems beyond fitness issues.

The early promise of attractive football has been overshadowed by an inability to see out results, especially against mid-table sides. And with Spurs’ top-four hopes long gone, pressure is mounting on the former Celtic boss to salvage the season.

Tottenham have fared surprisingly well in Europe

While things have fallen apart domestically, the North London club have done surprisingly well in the Europa League.

Tottenham created an incredible unbeaten record after beating Bodo/Glimt at home in the first leg and then beat them again to book their place in the final where they will now play Manchester United.

Despite the awful domestic season which has put Ange’s future at Tottenham in doubt, he can still achieve something incredible.

A win in the Europa League final will end the club’s trophy drought ,making it their first major trophy since 2008 and the first European trophy since 1984. It will also book them a spot in next season’s Champions League.

Tottenham fans have endured a dismal season, but there remains hope of salvation in the form of the UEFA Europa League.

Spurs take on Manchester United in Bilbao on Wednesday 21st May for a chance to not only secure UEFA Champions League qualification for next season, but also win a first trophy since 2008.

Due to this lack of silverware, few would have expected Tottenham to reach the UEFA Europa League final.

However, a message Spurs hid in a club announcement back in June proves the north Londoners were always confident of doing so.

Tottenham predicted they would reach the UEFA Europa League final

When posting a video to announce the away kit back in June 2024, Spurs included a small message right at the end of the footage, which read: “Holiday special. Destination. Bilbao, Spain.”

Of course, that is where the UEFA Europa League final will be held, and it is highly interesting to see that Tottenham made the bold prediction they would be involved in the showpiece event before a ball was even kicked in the competition.

Coupled with Ange Postecoglou sternly claiming back in September that he “always” wins silverware in his second season at a club, there is a strong feeling of confidence coming from N17 despite a terrible Premier League campaign.

Cristian Romero has already made a decision regardless of possible UEFA Europa League win

Winning the UEFA Europa League would represent a significant change of landscape for Spurs, going from no involvement in European football at all next season, to being involved in Europe’s greatest club competition.

However, that will not be enough to keep one of Postecoglou’s stars.

Cristian Romero has already decided to leave Tottenham regardless of what happens against Manchester United, with Atletico Madrid keen to sign the Argentina international.

Having said that, there is a significant gap when it comes to figures – the Spanish giants ideally want to spend no more than £40m on the defender, whereas Daniel Levy is aiming to receive £65m.

Tottenham’s entire season rests upon one game now and that is the Europa League final.

After defeating Bodo/Glimt on Thursday night, Spurs secured their place in the final, where they will face Manchester United on May 21.

The match is of huge significance, as a win in the Europa League would not only end their trophy drought but also book Tottenham a spot in next season’s Champions League.

However, their preparations have already taken a hit.

Tottenham will already be without James Maddison, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season. And now Dejan Kulusevski has appeared to pick up an injury vs Crystal Palace.

Dejan Kulusevski picks up worrying injury against Crystal Palace

Kulusevski had only just returned from a foot injury that sidelined him for a month, playing the full 90 minutes in the 2-0 win over Bodo/Glimt and even registering an assist.

However, he picked up an injury in the 16th minute vs Crystal Palace and while he tried to play on, he could not and was eventually subbed off in the 19th minute.

The Athletic’s Jay Harris reveals that the player was seen going straight down the tunnel with a staff member. He reported on X: “Kulusevski walks off the pitch and goes straight down the tunnel with a member of staff.

“With Maddison and Bergvall out of the Europa League final through injury, losing Kulusevski as well would be a disaster.

It’s far from an encouraging sign as they prepare for their biggest game of the season.

Dejan Kulusevski has been a key player for Tottenham despite struggles

Kulusevski has firmly established himself as one of Tottenham’s most important players since arriving from Juventus.

He has proven to be an asset for Ange Postecoglou, showing versatility and playing across various positions for the Australian.

This season, despite the club’s struggles domestically, he has continued to perform, scoring 10 goals and assisting another 11 in 49 games across all competitions.

A major chunk of those appearances and goals have come as an attacking midfielder, a new role he has adapted to under Ange and excelled in.

His performances have garnered interest in him from several clubs but Tottenham are desperate not to sell Kulusevski.

It remains to be seen how bad the injury is but judging from the early reports, he may end up missing the final, in what will be a massive blow for Tottenham and a big boost for Manchester United.

Tottenham Hotspur have had a terrible season, but they have one last shot at salvaging something from this campaign.

Indeed, Tottenham have set up a date with destiny against Manchester United in Bilbao in the Europa League final.

If Spurs win this game, they will qualify for the Champions League next season and will have ended their lengthy silverware drought.

Jamie O’Hara fancies Spurs to win the Europa League.

It’s previously been said that Ange Postecoglou is likely to be sacked no matter what happens in the Europa League, and Daniel Levy isn’t going to allow the Europa League to influence his decision on the manager.

However, speaking on The Tottenham Way Podcast, Dan Kilpatrick has now shared a differing view on this situation.

Dan Kilpatrick now unsure on Ange Postecoglou’s future

The journalist says he was almost certain Postecoglou was headed for the sack before the Bodo/Glimt game.

However, now the journalist isn’t so sure that Postecoglou will go, claiming that the feeling around the club would be so positive after a Europa League win that it wouldn’t feel right to sack the manager at that point.

“Before the game, I would have said for sure, I think, you know, either way, my feeling is that he’s going to go at the end of the season. And it’s kind of a case of almost like semantics, is he fired having lost the semi-final final, or is it kind of a mutual thing? You know, he walks away having fulfilled his promise to win a trophy in the second season with a kind of thank you and pat on the back from the club,” Kilpatrick said.

“I’m suddenly feeling, you know, not so sure, because it would just be so momentous, you know, in Ange’s words, it would be massive to win this competition, I think. And, you know, there would be an open top bus parade, you know, down the A10 or whatever, you know, down the Tottenham High Road. And the vibes would be so good.

“And, you know, so much about Postecoglou’s tenure has just kind of been based on vibes, I think. And it would, from there, it would just feel, you know, if he wanted to stay, and, you know, he was kind of saying that publicly from a position of strength, it would, you know, it would feel quite jarring. And it would be a big thing for the club to say, ‘actually, we’re going to get rid of the manager who delivered the first European trophy in 41 years and a first trophy in 17 years.’

“So it’s really hard to call. You know, probably my feeling is that if he did kind of walk away on his terms, you know, it was a kind of mutual thing with a big bonus for winning the Europa League and the kind of payoff, you know, forever kind of immortalized as one of Spurs. I mean, let’s face it, one of Spurs’ best managers of the modern era, as he would be if he wins this competition.

“Then I think that, you know, that would be probably the best thing for everyone. Obviously, it depends who succeeds him. But I could see that being a kind of win for all parties, you know, and would then be a very attractive proposition to maybe go out and get another top job somewhere in Europe.

“And Spurs could perhaps move on to a manager who’s just kind of better suited to, you know, managing full competitions and, you know, keeping them punching in the Premier League. So yeah, I think that would be the best case, but I just don’t know now. I feel less certain that it could be his last season.”

Managers who saved their jobs with trophy wins

Ange Postecoglou could save his job if he wins the Europa League, and we’ve seen this situation play out before.

Indeed, just last year, Manchester United kept Erik ten Hag on after he won the FA Cup against the odds, and, ultimately, United made a mistake with that call.

However, that said, three decades prior, a certain manager by the name of Alex Ferguson was in the same boat, and he went on to have unprecedented success with United after saving his job by the skin of his teeth.

Roberto Di Matteo also earned himself a permanent post at Chelsea after the 2012 Champions League win, but his tenure at the Blues was short-lived beyond that.

Meanwhile, there are plenty of examples of managers who were sacked after winning major trophies.

Of course, most of those examples are from clubs that are used to winning silverware each and every year, and Tottenham are a different case in that they haven’t won a trophy in 17 years.

Tottenham would be making quite the statement if they immediately sacked the manager who delivered their first trophy in almost two decades, that’s for sure.

Tottenham Hotspur are one step away from winning the Europa League.

The North Londoners have had their worst season in a long time, but they could still finish with a trophy – their first one in over 17 years.

Spurs face Manchester United in the final of the Europa League, and they should be viewed as the favourites to win, having beaten the Red Devils three times already this season.

Winning the competition will take Tottenham back into the Champions League, and that could help them attract top players.

But, there could be a problem internally.

Cristian Romero makes final decision on Tottenham future

Cristian Romero’s Tottenham future has been up in the air for quite some time now.

The Argentina international is one of the first names on the team sheet at Spurs when he is fit. He has his problems with discipline at times, but on his day, he is an ‘outstanding‘ defender.

Atletico Madrid are interested in signing Romero this summer. He has publicly claimed that he would like to play in Spain too.

Furthermore, Atleti star Julian Alvarez has urged Romero to join him in Madrid next season.

Now, GiveMeSport have revealed that Romero is set to push for a move to Atletico Madrid this summer – he has made up his mind.

The report claims that even if Tottenham win the Europa League final against Manchester United, Romero has no plans of sticking around.

For his part, Daniel Levy is ready to sell Romero, but his demands are unsurprisingly high.

How much money Tottenham are demanding for Cristian Romero

Levy is one of the best negotiators in the game.

Tottenham fans have their issues with him for the way he runs the club, but he deserves credit for his ability to keep hold of his best players more often than not.

Romero clearly wants to leave Tottenham this summer, but for his wish to be fulfilled, Atletico Madrid will have to meet Levy’s valuation, which, according to GMS, is £65 million.

Diego Simeone’s side, however, have been hoping to get this deal done for £40 million.

It remains to be seen if the two sides can meet in the middle once negotiations begin following the Europa League final later in May.

Tottenham are through to the Europa League final, but, make no mistake about it, all is not well at Spurs.

Indeed, while European success would paper over the cracks somewhat, there are still some very worrying underlying problems at Tottenham.

Ange Postecoglou is likely to be sacked regardless of what happens in Europe, and Spurs may soon be on the lookout for a new manager.

Andoni Iraola has been linked to Tottenham, while Fabio Paratici likes Edin Terzic.

However, according to new reports, there’s another manager who could be in line for the Spurs job.

Marco Silva one of the favourites for the Tottenham job

According to Sky Sports and Di Marzio, Marco Silva is among the frontrunners for the Tottenham job at the moment.

Sky Sports note that Silva is one of the favourites for the Spurs job, while Di Marzio goes one step further.

Indeed, the Italian journalist claims that Silva is the most concrete target for Tottenham at the moment as they search for a potential Ange Postecoglou replacement.

What Mikel Arteta has said about Marco Silva

Silva could be headed to north London, and he already has one admirer in that area of the capital.

Indeed, while Silva could be headed to Spurs, Mikel Arteta is a fan of Silva.

Arteta praised Silva and his Fulham team earlier this season.

“They are always a tough opposition. They are well coached and they have been together for many years. They have great organisation and individual quality. They have a very clear identity and idea of how to approach the game, so we have to be very good to beat them,” Arteta said.

“We had a lot of dominance in the last game against them (1-1 draw in December) but they were very clinical. They managed to score the goal and sat back and reduced the spaces.”

Tottenham know first-hand just how good a manager Silva is, as he’s given Spurs a tough time over the past two years.

Whether or not Tottenham end up appointing Silva remains to be seen, but the Fulham boss is certainly a top tactician who’s ready to make the step up to one of the Premier League’s more historically successful sides.

Tottenham enjoyed a memorable night as they sealed their place in the Europa League final with a dominant win over Bodo/Glimt.

Goals from Dominic Solanke and Pedro Porro helped Spurs cruise to a 5-1 aggregate victory over the Norwegian side, setting up an incredible clash against Manchester United in the final.

Ange Postecoglou has frequently highlighted his track record of winning silverware in his second season at every club he’s managed — and he now stands on the brink of doing the same with Tottenham.

While the mood around the club will be joyful, there has been a setback.

James Maddison missed the game due to injury, and Tottenham have today confirmed on their official website that the issue will rule the midfielder out for the rest of the season.

Tottenham star James Maddison posts emotional message on social media

Maddison wasn’t involved in the second leg against Bodo/Glimt, but he played a crucial role in Tottenham’s progression to the Europa League final.

The midfielder scored in the 3-1 first-leg win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, delivering a vital blow that ultimately put the tie beyond the Norwegian side’s reach.

However, his night ended early as he was forced off with a knee problem midway through the second half.

Following scans and further assessment, Ange Postecoglou has confirmed that the injury is serious enough to rule Maddison out for the remainder of the season.

Understandably, the England international has been left heartbroken by the news. Taking to Instagram, Maddison shared an emotional message with fans: “Gutted. Just absolutely gutted. We’ve had our sights on that European final in Bilbao from day one of this campaign.

“So to accept not being able to take part out on that pitch with the boys is really tough to take. Injuries are just part of this game that can be so cruel at times. But I truly believe that it can be a special night for my football club. Bring on the 21st. All together.”

James Maddison’s importance to the Tottenham side

Maddison played a big role in Spurs’ run to the Europa League final, registering three goals and four assists in 11 appearances.

Impressively, he has delivered a goal contribution in each of his last four games in the competition.

But Maddison’s influence extends well beyond his on-field output. He’s regarded as a key leader within a youthful dressing room, helping guide the next generation with his experience and presence.

His importance is widely acknowledged, with teammate Djed Spence hailing Maddison as one of the best in the Premier League.

Jamie Carragher has also praised Maddison, naming him Tottenham’s best player this season for his consistent impact on the pitch.

Tottenham will undoubtedly feel his absence for the remainder of the season, especially in the Europa League final against Manchester United.

Tottenham booked their place in the Europa League final on Thursday night, sealing a 2-0 win away to Bodo/Glimt to complete a commanding 5-1 aggregate victory.

Ange Postecoglou’s side were already in control after a 3-1 win in the first leg at home, and they wrapped things up in style in Norway.

Goals from Dominic Solanke and Pedro Porro capped off a dominant display and ensured Spurs will contest their first European final since 2019.

Cristian Romero sent an emotional message to supporters after the final whistle, with players and fans all daring to dream.

Adding further satisfaction for Spurs fans, their progress came just 24 hours after bitter rivals Arsenal were knocked out of the Champions League by PSG.

And former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara made sure to mock the rivals about it.

Jamie O’Hara trolls Arsenal after Tottenham reach Europa League final

The Ligue 1 giants beat Arsenal 2-1 in Paris on Wednesday night, following their 1-0 victory at the Emirates last week.

Arteta did not take the defeat well, with Arsenal now set to end the season without a trophy, having lost the Premier League to Liverpool.

Jamie O’Hara wasted no time rubbing salt in the wounds, using Tottenham’s triumph as the perfect opportunity to take a jab at Arsenal on X.

Can Ange Postecoglou end Tottenham’s trophy drought

Spurs are set to face Manchester United in the Europa League final on May 21st, in what promises to be a hugely significant occasion for both clubs.

Tottenham have had a season to forget domestically, as they currently sit 16th in the Premier League, having lost 19 games so far.

Ange Postecoglou is likely to be sacked at the end of the season, with the result of the Europa League final not expected to change the club’s stance.

Still, lifting the Europa League would be a remarkable achievement for the Australian.

Postecoglou has won silverware in his second season at every club he’s managed, and he now stands just one win away from continuing that trend at Spurs.

It will be a special achievement given that even proven winners like Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte have failed to deliver a trophy for Tottenham.