Thursday 3 November 2016 08:26, UK
Tottenham's Champions League hopes were dealt a major blow as they were beaten 1-0 by Bayer Leverkusen at Wembley Stadium.
Mauricio Pochettino's men are now third in Group E with just two fixtures remaining, and the defeat extended their winless run to six games in all competitions.
It's a dramatic dip in form after their brilliant 2-0 win over Pep Guardiola's Manchester City last month. Ahead of Sunday's derby against Arsenal, we look at what's going wrong.
Pochettino described Tottenham's recent run as the most frustrating of his managerial career before the game and the defeat means it's now his longest winless streak since taking the job in 2014. The Spurs boss implored his players to make Wembley a fortress this week, but their stuttering form has clearly affected their confidence.
Jan Vertonghen set the tone when he nervously mis-hit a clearance in the opening minutes. Leverkusen were on the front foot immediately and Spurs, usually so aggressive under Pochettino, couldn't cope with a taste of their own high-pressing medicine.
Vertonghen was not alone in looking uneasy. Kyle Walker's errors nearly cost his side on a number of occasions, and in the first half Tottenham's passing accuracy stood at just 76 per cent - well below their usual average of 82 per cent. In fact, over the course of the 90 minutes, Spurs lost possession more times (183) than in any Premier League or Champions League game this season.
In the Soccer Special studio, former Tottenham forward Paul Walsh described it as their "worst performance of the season". "It's hard to know why," he added, "unless over the last few games the confidence has waned a bit and suddenly it's just caught up with them. With the ability he's got in that team, Pochettino will be scratching his head over how they could play so badly."
Tottenham seemed to be coping just fine without Harry Kane when they won four straight games after he suffered his ankle injury in September, but the absence of their talismanic striker is a serious issue now.
Having averaged just under two goals per game in their first 10 games of the season, Tottenham have only netted three in their last six. Heung-Min Son's goals have dried up after a strong start to the campaign, and Vincent Janssen is still yet to score from open play.
The Dutchman was left out of the starting line-up at Wembley but replaced the injured Mousa Dembele in the first half. He showed plenty of industry but it was another frustrating night in front of goal. Janssen and Son only mustered a single shot between them. Spurs fans will be hoping to see Kane back in the starting line-up at the Emirates Stadium.
There are also question marks over Tottenham's squad depth. Pochettino thinks highly of some of the youngsters the club, but in Cameron Carter-Vickers, Harry Winks, Josh Onomah and Georges-Kevin N'Koudou, Spurs had four substitutes with just 19 Premier League and Champions League appearances between them.
A lack of experience can be an issue in the harsh environment of the Champions League, and while talented, Tottenham's young guns are not exactly game-changing options for Pochettino to call upon. "I look at the bench - young players finding their way - and wonder who you can trust," said Walsh.
Tottenham are without key players Toby Alderweireld and Erik Lamela as well as Kane, but should three injuries really expose such a lack of depth? Pochettino will be hoping the injuries clear up soon, but he now has Dembele to worry about too. Reinforcements may be required in January.
Victor Wanyama has been largely impressive since his arrival from Southampton, but Janssen is not the only one of Tottenham's summer signings who has struggled to make an impact. Moussa Sissoko is currently serving a three-game Premier League suspension for elbowing Bournemouth's Jack Wilshere, and on this evidence he won't be too big a miss against Arsenal.
Spurs paid £30m for the France international, but he is yet to register a goal or assist in nine appearances and he endured another difficult night against Bayer Leverkusen. Occasional driving runs through midfield hinted at what he is capable of, but the stats did not make pretty reading.
His 60 per cent passing accuracy was the lowest of any Spurs player, he lost possession more times (31) than any of his team-mates, and he didn't have a shot on target or create any scoring chances. One moment of miscontrol had Pochettino shaking his head on the touchline, and while it's not unusual for new signings to take time to settle, Tottenham's sizeable investment suggests they expected rather more.
