Tottenham’s momentum has stalled.

Tottenham was on a roll in the English Premier League (EPL) with two wins and a draw in three games. They were in third place in the EPL. Then came the praise for new Spurs manager Enze Postecoglou. He was praised for ditching the boring defensive tactics of his predecessor, Antonio Conte, and playing attractive attacking football.

But then it all came crashing down in the League Cup.

Spurs were eliminated in the round of 64 of the 2023-24 English Carabao Cup at Craven Cottage in London, England, on Sept. 30, losing 3-5 on penalties after drawing 1-1 with Fulham.

Criticism of Postecoglou has since mounted. Tottenham, in particular, hasn’t won a trophy in 16 seasons. This is a team that desperately wants to win. The Carabao Cup was the one competition they had the best chance of winning this season.

However, Postecoglou’s side were eliminated in the first leg of the competition. He made nine changes to his starting lineup from the EPL third-round match against Bournemouth. It’s a rotation. It was a chance to give the younger players a chance, and the importance of the competition was overlooked.

The elimination from the Carabao Cup has led to speculation that Tottenham’s irrelevance will continue. Realistically, winning the EPL is tough. Winning the FA Cup is also less likely than the Carabao Cup, especially for a team that doesn’t play in Europe this season. It’s still early in the season and there is no reason to save the main players.

“Obviously, the result is disappointing. We’re out of the cup. We didn’t play at our best, at our best. There was a moment in the second half when we could have turned it around, but we didn’t. We didn’t get over the line, and we lost on penalties.”

He added: “A lot of boys made their first start of the season. The attitude to the game was good, and we showed a lot of areas where we can grow as a team. We’re not playing against Europe. So how do we know about our players? There are no other opportunities than matches. They are our Tottenham players,” he emphasized.

“I thought they would bring a different energy tonight. It doesn’t mean we don’t prioritize the cup competitions. From my point of view, players for development, you have to give them a chance to contribute to the team, that’s why they are at Spurs. They’re not at Tottenham just to make up the numbers. They’ve been working hard, they’ve been training hard, and they deserve to be in this game.”

Despite Postecoglou’s defense, the criticism hasn’t stopped.

“Postecoglou’s gamble was a necessary evil,” said the UK’s Inews.

“The defeat to Fulham left a bitter taste in the mouth. Postecoglou didn’t have to be afraid of dropping players. He doesn’t have the added pressure of a big European game. That doesn’t mean he gave players like Son Heung-min and James Maddison a complete rest. He brought them on in the second half and in the end, the cup gamble backfired.”

“Tottenham’s squad is far from complete. We have players like Hugo Lloris, Eric Dier, and Tanguy Ndombele who are on the verge of leaving, and we have new players joining the club. Until the squad is stabilized, we need to bring some stability to the game.” 메이저놀이터

“After four games in charge of Tottenham, Postecoglou’s attempts at change are seen as his biggest mistake. Spurs fans will hopefully learn from this mistake and the direction and strategy he should take in the future. The mistake was an acknowledgment that the gap between Spurs’ starting and non-starting players is huge. The goal is to break into the top four, but it may be difficult without Harry Kane.”

Finally, the publication concludes, “Tottenham have undoubtedly taken on a new identity this season. But it wasn’t against Fulham. Although they failed, this mistake could be a wake-up call for Postecoglou.”