Should Spurs fans be panicking?

Tottenham have slipped to a four-game winless run since their big opening day victory against Palace. Rachel Cohen assesses whether Spurs fans should be worried

Chelsea’s Mayra Ramirez and Tottenham’s Drew Spence battle for the ball

It’s five games into the WSL season and after a convincing 4-0 victory on the first day against newly promoted Crystal Palace, Tottenham have not won a game, picking up their only other point in a 2-2 draw with Aston Villa.

Since then it has been three losses on the trot. The team is now lying in eighth with the worst run of form in the league. While Spurs have scored as many goals per game as Brighton and Manchester United (two) they have conceded as many as Crystal Palace (2.8). So, what is going wrong? And should Spurs supporters panic?

Tough fixtures and historic issues

The first thing to say is that despite two big losses - 3-0 against United and 5-2 against Chelsea - in some ways things have not worsened since the game against Liverpool. Given past performances and current form, getting points away from home against either Manchester United or Chelsea was always going to be a long shot. Even before the season it was clear that this run of games would be tough. That is why the loss – as well as the performance, and officiating - in the game against Liverpool mattered so much. 

Some of the flaws that existed against Liverpool, namely chance creation and competitiveness in duels, have been, at least partly, resolved. Against Manchester United, especially for the first 40 minutes, and for periods of the first half against Chelsea, Spurs played good attacking football and controlled the ball.

However, other questions remain. Most notably, finishing. Statistically, Spurs’ most potent attacker and the only player with two league goals to her name is Eveliina Summanen, who is yet to score from open play. Bethany England has a single headed goal and Martha Thomas is yet to find the back of the net. 

Goalkeeper issues

Meanwhile other problems that were simmering in the background have come into view. In the season preview I highlighted Spurs’ inability to sign a quality long-term replacement goalkeeper for Becky Spencer. While the leakiness at the back cannot be wholly placed on Spencer’s shoulders, she does not help alleviate it. So far this season Spencer has conceded as many goals per 90 as Shae Yanez of Crystal Palace, but she has an 11-point worse save percentage rate (54% compared with 65%). Eight of the WSL’s goalkeepers have save percentage rates over 70% (FotMob).

If we look at post-shot xG minus goals allowed (via FBRef) Spencer has the poorest record in the league, having cost the team an additional 5.6 goals compared to what would have be expected given the shots she faced.

On the one hand this was a known issue going into the season and manager Robert Vilahamn has regularly praised Spencer's distribution and ability to play with the ball at her feet – something that enables the team to continue playing out from the back. The question is whether this is sufficient compensation for areas where Spencer is weaker, including shot stopping and cross collection. Until the January window there are not clear alternatives.

There was little evidence that loanee Katelin Talbert in her first and only game so far for Spurs (the cup-tie against Championship side Charlton) is the solution and third keeper Eleanor Heeps is yet to play senior minutes for Spurs. But given that Heeps re-signed to a longer-term contract last spring, there are suggestions the club sees her as a future prospect, and in lieu of an alternative solution before January, would it hurt to fast-track her into some game-time? 

Copycat conceding

A big issue against Manchester United, where Spurs conceded two near-identical goals within five minutes, and again against Chelsea, has been defending down the wing during transitions. Especially Spurs’ left wing.

This has occurred with Charli Grant at left-back (against United), Amanda Nildén at left-back (first four goals against Chelsea) and Ashleigh Neville at left-back (the final Chelsea goal). All three defenders have played well – and in Neville’s case played well on the other wing earlier in the same game. So, it is not simply an issue of player quality. This has to be the responsibility of the manager.

The full-backs are encouraged to play high when Spurs are attacking. They are all progressive players and typically have the positional capacity or raw speed to get back when needed. But it is still a big ask. That is why it often requires the players around them, from whichever relevant position, to cover. The two goals against United that came from Celin Bizet crosses showed what happens when this does not happen.

Against Chelsea, Spurs faced Johanna Rytting Kaneryd in imperious form, but it was nonetheless notable that repeatedly players made poor decisions about how to cover her runs with or without the ball.

Staying in the game

Spurs need to work on retaining stamina and keeping concentration in key moments.

Last season, fitness was a problem and after a summer working on it, there have been improvements. But against United and Chelsea, Spurs conceded in the 44^th minute. In the Liverpool game, Spurs lost to an injury-time penalty.

Vilahamn is working with an injury-depleted bench and not able to use many substitutes, but Spurs are also bearing the cost of the squad’s lack of cover in key positions and the resulting player fatigue. For instance, against Liverpool and United Summanen, who is the most defensive of Spurs’ central midfielders, was evidently suffering and had to receive treatment. Yet was unable to come off until the 55th minute. 

Silver linings

There are still reasons to be optimistic. Notwithstanding the goals conceded, some parts of Spurs’ defending has improved.

The team has limited chances through the centre of the pitch, defensive set pieces are more organised, last night’s own goal notwithstanding, and Clare Hunt and Molly Bartrip in central defence are building a good relationship.

Spurs’ chance creation has improved with 18 shots (an xG of 1.43) against United and nine against Chelsea. We have also not yet seen the potential impact of our summer signings. Ella Morris finally got 15 minutes off the bench against Chelsea, having been injured until this game. She was strong in challenges and good on the ball. Anna Csiki still seems a step off the pace when she has played, again largely as a substitute, and probably needs more time to adjust. Hayley Raso started the first three games, as did Maite Oroz, before both got injured. Both fit into the team well, and relationships and ability to find team-mates are likely to develop over time. Clare Hunt has been consistent despite a few hiccups against Chelsea. Vilahamn has also shown that he is willing to give minutes to develop young players with appearances for Lenna Gunning-Williams and Araya Dennis. 

So, to get back to the question of whether Spurs need to panic. My answer is no, not yet. We may have to hold our nerve in the run-up to Christmas, not least because in November we have to play both Manchester City away and Arsenal at home.

Spurs have a ‘must-win’ fixture against former coach Rehanne Skinner’s West Ham after the international break. This is clearly a winnable game and last season West Ham was the match in which Spurs scored the most goals - winning 4-3 and 3-1. The real issue is whether the team and Vilahamn can ride a few big losses and avoid the negative spiral that undid Skinner’s 2022-23 season and her time at Spurs’ helm.

If they can, and if they can strengthen in the January window and the club gives Vilahamn the time to fix the problems, maybe we can continue to enjoy Spurs’ passing patterns and see the team start winning more games. It may be a bit of a roller-coaster along the way, but Spurs fans are used to that.