Tottenham's defeat at Nottingham Forest deepens Ange Postecoglou's troubles | OneFootball

Despite dominating possession, Spurs failed to convert their chances and lost yet more players

Tottenham have lost half of their 18 Premier League games this season, and their latest defeat was born of a limpness in front of goal.

They had been warned, those fans — warned by the travel chaos Boxing Day always has in store. Those who made it to the East Midlands might have wished, by the end, that they hadn’t bothered, such was the dearth of quality in the final third produced by the side who had a 70.4 per cent share of possession and still found a way to be beaten.

And so instead of Postecoglou it was a former Spurs manager, Nuno Espirito Santo, guiding his team to victory. It feels a long three years since he was sacked after just 10 league games in charge of Spurs; he has got Forest blossoming.

While the returning Destiny Udogie did well to keep tabs on Anthony Elanga, who can be tricky, Elliot Anderson proved a thorn in Tottenham’s side, leading so many of the hosts’ counter-attacks with silky dribbles as he picked up pockets of space left wide open.

The gap between Dragusin and Archie Gray was often uncomfortably large. Chris Wood and Callum Hudson-Odoi looked to exploit that, including when the latter shifted in from the left and curled over the crossbar off his right foot.

Spurs were seeing most of the ball, yet it was Forest causing posing more questions going forward. Soon it told, courtesy of Morgan Gibbs-White bursting into life with the killer pass.

Tottenham’s best chance of the first half came shortly after they went behind and fell to a man they signed from Forest, Brennan Johnson, as the winger battered on goal but Matz Sels tipped over.

A 70 per cent share of the ball had earned them nothing in the first 45, and matters were no less frustrating after the interval.

Marching orders: Djed Spence was sent off for Tottenham against Nottingham Forest

Action Images via Reuters

Dominic Solanke was given a torrid time throughout by the excellent Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic — between them such a huge part of why Forest came into the game with the third-best defensive record in the Premier League.

Spurs' one moment of dazzling quality in the second half was, just like in the first, a one-man-show from Johnson. As Spence — lively all game — headed back into a crowded area, Johnson plucked the ball down from the sky, past Murillo, and would have equalised if not for Sels’s sprawled legs.

James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall replaced Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Matar Sarr. An injection of energy. A greater attacking impetus. But while Bergvall was handy, Maddison was rusty, hammering over wildly.

Tottenham headed into the game 11th, Forest went from fourth to third. The visitors had dominated proceedings but lacked a sharpness, a telling quality, in the final third.

Dissent set in late on, with Spence booked for delaying a restart and Johnson needlessly felling Neco Williams.

Did things get better? They got worse. Dragusin felt an injury, and had to go off after 87 minutes. Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Ben Davies are already injured. The very last thing Postecoglou needs is another centre-back out.

Yves Bissouma came on to partner Gray at centre-back — two midfielders at the back. Then Spence was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence. It’s been that kind of season for Tottenham.