Tottenham thought they had an easy game when they took a 2-goal lead over Chelsea after just 11 minutes. However, a lack of consistency in their approach to the game at each moment and fatal mistakes in defense made Spurs pay a heavy price at home.
If it weren't for Son Heung-min's late goal in the 90+6 minute, the "Roosters" would have lost 2-4. Son's goal in the final minutes only helped ease the disappointment a little, but it couldn't deny the fact that Ange Postecoglou's team was in crisis.
Last season, Tottenham played with dedication, playing with a few players down but still attacking. That philosophy of Postecoglou has been instilled in the current squad and it helped the North London side to the top of the table in the opening stages of last season.
However, when opponents began to read Tottenham's style of play, the Australian tactician's style of play began to backfire. Tottenham's high-post pass, combined with their ridiculously poor passing, gave Chelsea many good opportunities. When the Blues stepped up their pressing to get close to the penalty area, Spurs' clumsiness was evident in their tackling. The two situations that resulted in penalties were the clearest evidence.
The shaky defence had to see two of its most important players injured, Cristian Romero and Mickey van de Ven. Romero left the pitch first, followed by Van de Ven, leaving Postecoglou "struggling". During Spurs' successful times under Postecoglou, this central defender pair were considered the key factor in keeping goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario's goal stable.
The final concern is captain Son Heung-min. Since Harry Kane left the team, Son has been considered the flagship of the attack despite being in his 30s. The Korean striker has become less agile each year due to age. His unstoppable sprints from midfield have become less frequent. Even the 32-year-old star's finishing skills have noticeably deteriorated.
If Son cannot carry the attack, none of the remaining players have the quality to do so, from Dominic Solanke, Richarlison, Dejan Kulusevski, Brennan Johnson or Timo Werner. Buying people will be redundant but not buying will be lacking, that is the situation of Spurs right now when the transfer season is approaching.
In the stands of Tottenham Stadium, Chairman Daniel Levy looked very pensive as his team was destroyed by Chelsea. Perhaps, the difficult English boss is gradually considering changing the position of the coach on the coaching bench. Postecoglou came with many doubts because he had never had a great achievement in Europe. Now, he is proving those doubts about himself right.
Tottenham need to make changes to compete again, at least for a Europa League ticket next season. However, where to change and what to do first is an unsolved problem at the moment.
