Tottenham Hotspur endured another punishing night on Saturday as Liverpool came to north London and left with a hard-earned 2-1 win. Facing Arne Slot’s reigning champions, Spurs were desperate to bounce back from last weekend’s 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest, but instead produced a chaotic and disappointing display that only added to the mounting pressure on Thomas Frank and his players.
Any hopes of a response unravelled in a disastrous first half. Poor decision-making and a lack of discipline saw Tottenham reduced to nine men before the break, with Xavi Simons and captain Cristian Romero both shown red cards. The double sending-off swung the game decisively in Liverpool’s favour, leaving Spurs with an almost impossible task against one of the league’s most clinical sides.
From there, it was a steep uphill battle. Despite moments of fight and vocal support from the crowd, Tottenham could not recover, squandering a chance to move into the top half of the Premier League. At full-time, frustration echoed around the stadium, with sections of the fanbase openly venting their anger.
Kudus Endures a Difficult Evening
While Simons’ dismissal drew the most criticism from supporters, Mohammed Kudus also endured a disappointing outing. Given a start, the former West Ham winger failed to impose himself during his 58 minutes on the pitch. He did not create a clear opportunity for a teammate and registered just one off-target attempt, offering little as Spurs chased the game with reduced numbers.
When Kudus was withdrawn for the out-of-favour Brennan Johnson, the change was met with approval from the stands. Commenting on the moment, Football London journalist Alasdair Gold wrote on X:
“Johnson replaces Kudus which gets a cheer from the Spurs fans. The Ghanaian has struggled to get going on the break in this second half after a bright first period.”
A Symptom of Spurs’ Attacking Problems
Kudus may not be Tottenham’s worst performer this season, but he has arguably been among the most frustrating. After his move from West Ham, he showed glimpses of the quality Spurs hoped to unlock, yet his form has since dipped and consistency has remained an issue — a flaw often highlighted by Hammers supporters.
His tally of three goals and six assists reflects some contribution, but it falls short for a team aiming to climb the table. That criticism does not stop with Kudus; it applies to Tottenham’s attack as a whole.
Following Heung-min Son’s summer departure and James Maddison’s long-term injury, Frank needed others to step up. So far, that has not happened often enough. Injuries to Dominic Solanke have not helped, while Richarlison — despite scoring against Liverpool — along with Mathys Tel, Brennan Johnson and Wilson Odobert have all failed to secure consistent starting roles.
With Spurs sitting 13th in the Premier League, their lack of cutting edge is becoming impossible to ignore. If Frank is to revive Tottenham’s campaign, he will need far greater output and dependability from his forwards. If that cannot be found internally, the club may soon be forced to look to the transfer market for solutions.
