When Tottenham are bad they’re really bad and when you’re really bad in the Champions League you get knocked out.
So it proved on Wednesday night as Tottenham laboured towards a 0 – 0 draw with A.C Milan at home.
With a 1-0 first leg deficit to overturn, Tottenham didn’t have a shot on target in the first half. They didn’t come close to having a shot in the first half. They didn’t even look like they wanted a shot in the first half.
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Antonio Conte was on the touchline again after his gallbladder surgery. His gaunt countenance was an apt metaphor for Spurs’ two aging world class players trying to play a system that doesn’t come close to unlocking their talents.
The second half wasn’t much better, although with 21 minutes left Conte brought on the apparently-quite-irate Richarlison for Emerson. Thirteen minutes later Kulusevski was replaced by Davinson Sanchez, negating the offensive addition of Richarlison.
A tough-to-endure night was rounded off by Cristian Romero being sent off for a second yellow card. Spurs now have 12 Premier League games left to secure Champions League qualification for an uncertain next season.
After the game, Richarlison was critical of Antonio Conte’s decisions not to play him more regularly. With only two goals to his name this season, that transfer hasn’t worked out but truthfully, Tottenham have bigger problems.
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It seems likely that Antonio Conte will leave the club after a particularly insipid spell in charge. Signing a grizzled, veteran wingback to play in a conservative system might have improved the team in another era, but it’s not this one.
As well as that, there’s the possibility Harry Kane will agitate for a move away again. Is he still anxious to win a trophy in his career? He’s already their all-time leading scorer – if they’re not going to compete, there’s not a lot left for him to do at the White Hart Lane football stadium / NFL pitch / concert venue / go-kart track.
