Vicario have more touches than him: Ange must act now and drop 5/10 Spurs dud after defeat

Ange Postecoglou expressed confidence in Tottenham Hotspur’s potential to secure a trophy this season. While he didn’t quite say it in those exact words, the message was clear: Postecoglou believes success is within reach.

However, football pundit Paul Merson humorously suggested that Postecoglou has a better chance of winning Strictly Come Dancing than lifting silverware, reflecting the skepticism surrounding Tottenham’s current form.

Despite this, no one can deny that Postecoglou has injected excitement into the squad. Yet, the summer transfer window didn’t significantly improve the starting XI, and the team now seems to be paying for that oversight.

Tottenham has struggled early in the season, winning just one Premier League match. They’ve suffered defeats to Newcastle and Arsenal, drawn with newly-promoted Leicester, and only managed a win against a struggling Everton side.

With this mixed start, optimism was still present last Sunday. Arsenal were without key players, including Declan Rice (suspended), Mikel Merino (injured), and captain Martin Odegaard, who missed out due to an ankle injury.

This left Spurs with a golden opportunity to take control of the North London derby, but they failed to capitalize.

Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhaes broke the deadlock, heading home unmarked from a Bukayo Saka corner. This marked another set-piece goal for the Gunners, a team renowned for their dead-ball expertise in recent seasons.

Tottenham, once again, were unable to cope with the physicality and precision of Arsenal’s set pieces.

For Postecoglou and his team, it’s back to the drawing board. Spurs need to address several key issues, starting with the performances of certain players.

Last week’s defeat to Newcastle can largely be attributed to defensive lapses from Cristian Romero. He was caught out of position for both goals, pressing high up the pitch and leaving space for Newcastle to exploit.

In the match against Arsenal, Romero didn’t charge forward, but his defensive marking was equally poor. He allowed Gabriel too much space during the corner, enabling the Brazilian defender to score easily.

Romero will likely retain his place in the starting lineup for the next match, but the same can’t be said for all of Tottenham’s players, particularly in the attack.

One of the most disappointing performances came from Brennan Johnson, a talented winger who has yet to make a meaningful impact in Spurs colors.

Despite his potential, Johnson struggled against Arsenal, especially when going up against Jurrien Timber, who largely neutralized his threat.

Johnson was substituted in the 68th minute after an underwhelming display. He managed just one key pass, attempted four shots, and succeeded in only half of his dribble attempts.

Even more concerning was his lack of involvement, with fewer touches (26) than Tottenham’s goalkeeper, Guglielmo Vicario (31).

Additionally, Johnson won just two of his six duels and lost possession three times. His expected goals (xG) figure was a low 0.21, indicating how little danger he posed to Arsenal’s defense.

Data via Sofascore.

Sports journalist Dan Kilpatrick gave Johnson a match rating of 5/10, noting how well Jurrien Timber handled him throughout the game.

Timber, who was only dribbled past once during the match, completed three tackles – the joint-most of any player in Arsenal’s defense. His dominant performance highlighted Johnson’s ineffectiveness on the day.

Johnson has been a regular feature in Postecoglou’s attack this season, but his lack of goal contributions in the 2024/25 campaign is a growing concern.

Given his current form, it seems only a matter of time before Johnson finds himself benched in favor of other attacking options.

Timo Werner and Wilson Odobert, both of whom were available as substitutes against Arsenal, could potentially take his place in upcoming matches.

With a midweek EFL Cup fixture against Coventry City on the horizon, Johnson’s spot in the starting lineup is anything but secure.

As Tottenham continues to struggle, they’ll need to resolve their issues quickly. A poor result against Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League could deepen concerns for Postecoglou and his squad.

Spurs fans are hoping that the team can find consistency, avoid further defensive lapses, and see their attacking players – including Johnson – live up to their potential.

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