Sometimes in football, a draw can feel like a loss, especially when it happens at home in a game you were expected to win.
For Tottenham Hotspur, their recent match against Wolverhampton Wanderers was exactly that kind of frustrating experience. The team needed a goal deep into injury time just to salvage a single point, and the overall performance left a lot to be desired.
The feeling of disappointment was shared by everyone connected with the club, and it also caught the attention of experts watching from the outside.
One of those experts was Gary O’Neil, a former Wolves manager who now works as a television analyst. He didn’t hold back in his assessment of Tottenham’s display.
He was very direct, saying that he struggled to see how Tottenham deserved to win the game in any way. He pointed out a pattern he has noticed this season.
When Tottenham plays at home against teams like Bournemouth and Wolves, where the expectation is for them to take control of the game and attack, they seem to struggle.
Interestingly, their better performances have come against stronger opponents like Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City. In those matches, Tottenham doesn’t have most of the ball.
They can sit back, defend, and then attack quickly on the counter. This seems to suit the team better than when they have to break down a well-organized defense that is happy to let them have possession.
O’Neil’s main point was that if Tottenham wants to challenge for a place at the top of the Premier League table, they must learn how to handle these kinds of situations.
He predicted that many teams will come to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with a plan to defend deeply and frustrate the home team.
To be successful, Spurs will need to show more creativity, patience, and quality in the final third of the pitch than they did against Wolves. It’s a common challenge for ambitious teams, but it’s one they must solve.
What’s more revealing is that Tottenham’s own manager, Thomas Frank, essentially agreed with this tough criticism.
After the game, Frank acknowledged that the team needed something “special” to get a result, and they got it with Joao Palhinha’s late goal.
However, he didn’t try to sugarcoat the overall performance. He was honest about the team’s shortcomings, specifically in attack. Frank stated that the foundation of the team is in a good place.
He praised the defensive work, the effort, and the running of his players. These are all positive building blocks. But he openly admitted that the “offensive part” of the game is where the team needs to add “layers.”
He said he would have loved to see the team do more in the game and recognized that developing a fluid and potent attack is the next step in the team’s evolution.
This agreement between a critical outsider and the team’s own manager is actually a positive sign. It shows that everyone is on the same page about what needs to be improved.
There is no denial of the problem. O’Neil even expressed his confidence that Frank is the right man to fix the issue.
He noted that Frank has already successfully addressed one major problem from last season: the team was shipping too many goals. The manager has made Tottenham much harder to beat and more solid at the back.
Now, the next logical phase of the project is to build on that solid defensive base and add a more effective and consistent attacking threat.
For Tottenham fans, this should be a reason for patience and optimism. The manager has a clear vision. He has already improved one major aspect of the team’s play.
The current frustration is a natural part of the growth process. The team is learning how to win in different ways. The draw against Wolves, while disappointing, has clearly highlighted the exact area that requires focus on the training ground.
With a manager who understands the problem and has a track record of implementing solutions, the club is well-positioned to take that next step. The challenge is clear, and the path forward is understood by everyone involved.
