Tottenham Hotspur’s struggles at home this season have become a growing concern, with the team failing to secure a win in their last four Premier League home matches.
Their most recent disappointment came in a 1-0 loss to Chelsea, where defensive lapses gifted Joao Pedro the only goal of the game.
Despite still sitting fourth in the league table, that defeat has left Tottenham vulnerable, with the possibility of slipping as low as sixth should rivals like Manchester City and Sunderland collect victories in their upcoming fixtures.
Former Spurs manager Tim Sherwood believes he understands exactly why Tottenham have been faltering at home, and his reasoning points to something deeper than tactics or player form.
Speaking on Premier League Productions, Sherwood suggested that the intense pressure from home supporters to be entertained might be weighing heavily on the players.
According to him, the team’s desire to please the fans with stylish football rather than focusing purely on results has become a major factor in their inability to perform consistently at home.
Sherwood argued that when Tottenham play away from home, they appear freer, more confident, and less burdened by expectation. On the road, the only demand is to win, regardless of how attractive the performance might be. But at home, things are different.
The crowd wants flair, attacking football, and dominance from the first whistle. That pressure, he claims, creates a mental block. It forces the players to take unnecessary risks, often resulting in mistakes like those seen against Chelsea, where overplaying at the back led directly to the decisive goal.
“They’re far better away from home,” Sherwood explained. “When they’re on the road, they can play their game and focus on winning. But when they’re at home, the fans expect to be entertained.
That pressure to put on a show makes things harder. Players feel they need to impress, and that’s where the errors creep in.”
The numbers back up Sherwood’s assessment. Tottenham currently hold the fourth-worst home record in the Premier League, sitting above only Nottingham Forest, Wolves, and West Ham.
For a club with top-four ambitions and a fanbase accustomed to vibrant attacking football, that statistic is worrying. The mood at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has reflected that frustration, especially after moments like Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence’s decision to walk straight down the tunnel after the Chelsea defeat, ignoring Thomas Frank’s attempt at a post-match handshake a small act that underscored the tension surrounding the team’s recent form.
It’s been a year to forget for Tottenham supporters attending home games. Looking back, their 4-1 victory over Aston Villa around this time last year painted a very different picture.
That win had lifted them into seventh place and marked their fourth home win from five, a run that seemed to signal a strong season ahead. But since then, results at home have fallen dramatically.
In the past twelve months, Tottenham have managed just three home league victories a 2-0 win over Manchester United in February, a 3-1 success against Southampton in April, and a bright start to this season with a comfortable win over Burnley on opening day.
Beyond those isolated wins, however, Spurs have often looked nervous and uncertain at home. Their attempts to play out from the back or force chances through crowded defenses have repeatedly led to costly mistakes.
Opponents have learned to sit deep, absorb pressure, and pounce on errors a strategy that has worked time and again against a Tottenham side desperate to entertain.
Sherwood’s comments might sting, but they highlight an uncomfortable truth: Tottenham’s identity under the spotlight of their home fans may be hurting them more than helping.
The demand for attacking brilliance and dominance, once a proud part of their tradition, has turned into a psychological burden. Until they learn to balance flair with discipline and find comfort in grinding out results when needed, their home record will continue to be a stumbling block in their pursuit of silverware and Champions League football.
In essence, Tottenham’s struggles are not just about tactics or form they’re about mindset. Playing at home should inspire confidence, but for now, it seems to be doing the opposite.
The fans’ passion remains unmatched, but that same passion is creating pressure that even a talented side like Spurs has yet to master. If they can channel that energy into focus rather than flair, Tottenham might soon turn their home ground back into a fortress rather than a place of frustration.
