Tottenham 1-2 Newcastle: Spurs sink to new depths in home loss to Toon

Sometimes there just isn’t much you can say. Tottenham Hotspur took the pitch on an awful night of weather, hosting a Newcastle team that also hasn’t been playing its best lately. Spurs are horrifically injured, but even more horrifically coached and once again limped to another home loss at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, falling 2-1 to Toon. After a horrific first half display of long ball football and terrible offense, Malick Thiaw gave the visitors the lead with a goal in the 5th minute of extra time in the first half. Archie Gray gave Spurs a modicum of hope in the second half with a tidy finish to level the score in the 64th minute, but the optimism lasted just three minutes, and Newcastle found themselves back in the lead after the simplest of finishes by Jacob Ramsey.

It was a lead that Spurs never made up, falling once again at home. Tottenham have taken just one win from their last eight, and at the time of this article’s posting are just three points ahead of West Ham with the Hammers leading at home against Manchester United. It’s hard to say otherwise now — Tottenham Hotspur are in a relegation battle and will need every single point they can.

A listless performance and a terrible, awful loss. Here are my match reactions.

Match reactions

I’m basically this kid now.

It’s a back four for Frank after a couple of matches in a hybrid back three. I don’t love the idea of Archie at RB, but honestly if Souza isn’t ready to start, I’m not sure there’s much of a choice. And he was… well, fine?

The weather looked absolutely frightful and I wonder if it didn’t impact the way this match played out. Spurs actually had a lot of space in front of them early and had a few decent breaks but the wet conditions seemed to have an impact on finishing.

First half tactics were basically hoof-and-run, which makes sense on a couple of levels — the weather conditions were appalling, and also Spurs can’t pass their way out of a paper bag so why not try something else? Maybe they could get a lucky break behind Dan Burn. (Update: they didn’t)

You know what this match really needed? For Wilson Odobert to do his knee. Thanks, universe. That rules.

A pretty good summary of the first half was Pape Sarr getting booked for diving in central midfield, and then Newcastle scoring on a simple through ball break two minutes later that inexplicably got called back by VAR for offside.

Y’all I know people have been clamoring for Mathys Tel to get more minutes, but I’m starting to understand why Frank doesn’t play him more. I am coming around to the idea that he just might not be very good.

As negative as I’ve been in these reactions thus far, that was a tidy finish by Archie Gray, and I’m so pleased for him. Nicely centered by Sarr. Now if only we could figure out how to score a goal from open play…

Newcastle’s second goal was almost comically simple. Just a simple roll to the center of the box and there’s a player wide open. I can’t believe it was that simple to score, but then I maybe shouldn’t be surprised, I’ve been watching this team all season.

I could talk more about the second half, but there doesn’t seem to be much point. Likewise, is there a point to running Thomas Frank back out there against Arsenal? I don’t think there is. Spurs are in a relegation scrap now and staying the course is no longer an option the club can afford. There are 12 days until Spurs play football next. Treat it like an international break and find a capable interim head coach who can at least get this team ticking a little bit.

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