The bad news for Tottenham Hotspur fans is that it was another day to forget in the Premier League and yet another defeat – making it five games without a win.
The good news is that they’re finally on the scoresheet, courtesy of Conor Gallagher and Jan Paul van Hecke. Although, Roberto De Zerbi is still probably thinking about the bad news, isn’t he?
The Lilywhites left it too little too late against Aston Villa, who roared into a 3-0 lead to compound Spurs’ misery. Gallagher’s goal then broke Tottenham’s duck at long last, before Van Hecke threatened the comeback. A threat is exactly what it stayed, however, as Unai Emery’s side sealed all three points.
Speaking in his post-match interview, De Zerbi said: “I think we could score the first half many, many times. We concede the goal in 10 players but we we had to stay more focused to defending that situation in extra time in the first half.
“In the second half we concede goal from the goal kick directly. Before then we score but it’s offside. The third goal, a great goal of Buendia. But I have to say, we played well in the first half, we didn’t score but too fragile.”
Tottenham expert slams “pathetic” Van Hecke
He may have got himself on the scoresheet, but it’s the three goals at the other end that shoved Van Hecke into the limelight as far as Mitch Fretton is concerned. The Tottenham writer and podcaster slammed the summer signing, claiming that he spotted him “refusing to tackle” as Villa ran riot.
“Van Hecke might have scored but that doesn’t excuse his absolutely pathetic defending for 90 minutes that consisted of getting beaten to every header by Buendia and refusing to tackle anyone.”
The former Brighton man is clearly someone that De Zerbi rates, given that he chose to form a reunion in north London in the summer, but the stats do not make for pretty reading.
Van Hecke won just three of his eight attempted duels, backing up Fretton’s claim that he was “refusing to tackle”.
De Zerbi will be desperate to see a change in form after the international break, having been so full of praise for the centre-back when he arrived a few months ago.
It was then that the Italian said: “Jan Paul is someone I know very well from our time together at Brighton, and I’m delighted to be working with him again.”
“He is a strong, intelligent centre-back who is brave in possession and plays with personality. Those are important qualities for the way I want our team to set-up.”
After the international break, Tottenham square off against an out of form Manchester United before newly promoted and struggling Coventry City. Anything but victory in at least one of the two would increase the pressure on De Zerbi to boiling point.