It was one of those evenings that Spurs supporters will want to forget quickly.
The final whistle had barely blown, but the tension and frustration on display off the pitch said everything about a night gone wrong.
Tensions Flare on the Touchline
The moment that caught everyone’s attention came right after the game.
Thomas Frank shook hands with Enzo Maresca but then moved toward captain Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence, urging them to acknowledge the fans.
Both players ignored him entirely and headed straight down the tunnel.
The gesture—or lack thereof—felt like a blatant act of disrespect, made all the more striking because Frank is known as a courteous and composed manager.
Watching him stare after the players was almost heartbreaking, as if their behavior was abusing his decency.
Players Under Fire for Costly Mistakes
Van de Ven and Spence were already under the spotlight for their role in conceding the only goal of the game, gifted to Joao Pedro in the first half.
Mistakes happen in football, but their response afterwards added fuel to the critics’ fire.
Their actions made a poor night even worse, casting doubts over the authority and influence of Frank in the dressing room.
Although the manager tried to downplay the incident in his post-match press conference, the video quickly circulated online, sparking questions about team discipline early in the season.
Xavi Simons Faces Premier League Reality
It wasn’t just Van de Ven and Spence having a rough night. Xavi Simons endured one of football’s more humiliating experiences.
Subbed on early for Lucas Bergvall, he was taken off again 17 minutes from the end, replaced by Wilson Odobert.
Simons, who joined Spurs for £52 million in the summer, struggled to make an impact.
He was partly responsible for Chelsea’s winner when Moises Caicedo stole the ball from him, and overall, he looked slow and out of sync with the pace of the Premier League.
Much like Florian Wirtz at Liverpool, Simons is still finding his footing and proving an expensive liability on the field.
Spurs’ Lackluster Attack Highlights Deeper Problems
The team as a whole was painfully ineffective. Spurs’ home struggles were magnified, with an expected goals (XG) metric of just 0.05—the lowest since the stat was introduced more than a decade ago.
Their attacking play was sterile, lacking creativity, and devoid of genuine threat.
Fans were reminded that, despite progress since Ange Postecoglou’s departure, Tottenham’s top-four position might be fragile.
This performance looked like that of a mid-table side at best, and some supporters openly questioned whether Postecoglou should have been given more time to address the team’s issues.
Key Players Struggle to Make an Impact
The problem extends beyond just one or two underperforming individuals.
Richarlison seemed more focused on avoiding cards than scoring, Randall Kolo Muani was ineffective, and Mohammed Kudus frequently lost possession.
Xavi Simons, as mentioned, failed to influence the game.
Even when players wanted to make an impact, the supply line from the midfield was practically nonexistent.
Creativity was absent, leaving the attackers feeding on scraps.
While Dominic Solanke’s return might help, Spurs’ struggles appear to be rooted deeper than a single player’s absence.
Fans and the Club Face Tough Questions
After a performance like this, Spurs supporters have plenty to worry about.
The respect and discipline issues, combined with a lack of attacking threat and poor individual displays, highlight a team still trying to find its identity under Thomas Frank.
If improvements aren’t seen soon, both the manager and the squad will face increasing scrutiny as the season progresses.