The howling inside Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was not too loud but was clearly heard. After an unstable start to the season, the third consecutive home loss to Arsenal is unacceptable for Spurs fans.
After the match, coach Ange Postecoglou pointed out that he always won the title in his second season. However, the Australian strategist is also well aware of the current difficulties for the team. "I'm not saying things I don't believe in. But the optimism of the fans is being tested."
Postecoglou argues that, with some legitimate reasons, Tottenham's performance in the first four games of the new season deserved more than four points. But Spurs played badly against Arsenal and even if they played well, not being able to take advantage of the opportunity was a problem.
If not counting the first 10 matches of last season, when they won 8 matches under Postecoglou, the "Rooster" have an alarmingly poor record. They have picked up just 44 points from their next 32 Premier League games.
That total has seen them finish Ninth among Premier League clubs, sandwiched between Bournemouth and West Ham, for almost the entire calendar year. They are 14 points behind fourth-placed Chelsea and 35 points behind leaders Manchester City.
In other words, this is the achievement of a team in the middle of the rankings rather than a team competing for a place in the European Cup. And worryingly, Tottenham are getting worse rather than better. Spurs have won just three of their last 11 Premier League games.
One of Postecoglou's main responsibilities when he arrived at the club last summer was to reform Tottenham's playing style. Under Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho, the "Roosters" often lack mobility and are slow. And that has changed somewhat since the Australian's arrival.
Spurs have changed their style. They play higher up the pitch and put more pressure on than any other Premier League side. They are also more focused on possession. When everyone combines together, it seems that Tottenham's peak is not far away.
The problem is that games where "Angeball" is operating smoothly are becoming rare. Instead, the apparent reluctance to adopt Postecoglou's approach has become a problem.
The Arsenal game was just one of many in which Tottenham failed to capitalise on their possession advantage. Spurs have averaged over 60% possession in 10 of their last 13 Premier League games. But surprisingly, they have won just four of those games.
Tottenham's opponents are finding ways to deal with it, stepping back and taking pressure while knowing that opportunities will come from set pieces. This is a weakness that Postecoglou's side paid for many times last season.
"We understand that set pieces are very dangerous and can easily lead to goals conceded. In fact, we defended well, but a moment of lack of concentration cost us.
Once again, we lost points in set pieces, we will have to learn from this defeat. We have to improve our game. We need to aim for the football we want," said Postecoglou.
Postecoglou is prioritizing the long-term goal. He spoke about the progress in the press conference after the match against Arsenal, although he admitted that there are still factors that need to be improved. But if Tottenham continue to show their face like now, Postecoglou is unlikely to keep his "seat".
