Paul Merson has delivered a blunt assessment of Tottenham Hotspur’s struggles as he predicts that their upcoming Premier League meeting with Fulham will end in a draw.
His view comes at a time when Spurs supporters are finding it difficult to feel confident, even though data models like the Opta Supercomputer believe Tottenham should win this weekend. The reality on the pitch, however, continues to paint a far more worrying picture for Thomas Frank and his team.
Tottenham returned from the international break with huge expectations, but their performance against Arsenal was nothing short of dreadful. Losing by three goals in a derby that means everything to the fans has only added to the growing concerns around the club.
From the first whistle, Spurs looked flat, disconnected and far from the intense, hungry side supporters want to see. The defeat was painful not only for the scoreline but also for the manner in which they were completely outplayed by their fiercest rivals.
Their midweek Champions League trip to France offered a small sense of hope as they managed to create chances and score three goals against Paris Saint-Germain.
However, that brief encouragement faded quickly because the defensive problems that have plagued them all season reappeared. Tottenham conceded five goals and threw away the lead twice. It was another night that showed their potential going forward but exposed their lack of stability at the back.
Paul Merson has been watching this Tottenham side closely, and in his eyes, the concerns go far beyond tactics. He believes that no matter what approach Frank takes, the result always seems to end in disappointment.
Sitting deep against Arsenal didn’t help, and choosing to play on the front foot against PSG also failed. To Merson, the problem is not about whether Spurs decide to defend deep or attack aggressively; it is that they cannot find the balance that good teams rely on.
Speaking to Sportskeeda, he didn’t hold back. He described Tottenham as a nightmare to predict because every time they show signs of progress, they follow it up with another weak display.
He singled out last weekend’s derby defeat as especially damaging, saying Spurs made it too easy for Arsenal and showed nowhere near the level of fight the fans expect.
According to Merson, even if Tottenham were to beat Fulham 16–0, it still wouldn’t erase the disappointment of how they folded in their biggest league game of the season.
He also pointed to the PSG match as another example of Tottenham’s lack of balance. Scoring three goals away in Europe against one of the strongest teams in the world should be seen as a positive, but conceding five tells its own story. When Tottenham attack, they leave themselves wide open.
When they sit back, they still concede heavily, as shown in the 4–1 loss to Arsenal. Merson believes this inability to control matches is becoming a serious issue, and he doesn’t expect it to improve immediately.
His biggest worry for Tottenham is how nervous they look at home when they are expected to win. Fulham may not be one of the Premier League’s elite sides, but they are organised, competitive and capable of causing problems.
For that reason, Merson has predicted a 1–1 draw, insisting Tottenham simply do not look strong enough right now to take control of a game they should win.
This weekend’s match carries real weight for Tottenham’s season. Their recent poor league form has pushed them down to ninth place, but the midfield of the table is incredibly tight.
A win could push them towards the top five again, but a bad result could see them slide closer to the bottom half. With the gap between fifth and thirteenth separated by just a handful of points, every match has huge implications.
Tottenham need a league victory urgently to restore belief and to keep up with the teams chasing Champions League qualification.
The fans want to see more intensity and desire, and they want to see a side that can turn positive spells into consistent results. Whether they can find that rhythm against Fulham remains uncertain, and right now, even the experts struggle to see a clear path forward for Frank’s troubled team.
