How Many Wake-up Calls Do Tottenham Need – Former Top Flight Goalkeeper Questions Spurs | OneFootball

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Former Premier League goalkeeper Shaka Hislop has asked just how many wake-up calls Tottenham Hotspur need after their Europa League hopes were damaged with a loss in the Netherlands on Thursday night.

Spurs are struggling in the Premier League and on Thursday night in the Europa League round of 16, they suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of AZ Alkmaar, putting them behind in the tie.

Tottenham dominated possession on the night, but failed to create chances to secure a win, and Spurs captain Heung-min Son commented after the game that the match will be a wake-up call for his team.

However, Hislop questioned that, saying that after having so many disappointing results throughout the season, how many wake-up calls Spurs do need to turn around their form.

He pointed out that Tottenham failed to threaten AZ despite having the majority of the possession and believes that if Pedro Porro had equalised in the dying minutes of the game when he had a chance, that would have been highway robbery for Spurs.

When told about Son saying the result was a wake up call, Hislop said on ESPN FC (3:30): “I am not sure how many wake-up calls Spurs need in all honesty, given what we have seen from them all season long.

“I thought Spurs were second best and I am going to say you see the stats and Spurs had 61 per cent possession; it just did not feel like that, it didn’t feel like that at all.

“Maybe it is to Postecoglou’s point that they were a little bit slow in passing the ball and really forcing AZ into making a mistake, they were passive with their passing, so maybe that’s where those numbers kind of stacked up, but at no point did it [feel like they were on top].

“If Pedro Porro had scored that header in the 95th [minute] or whatever, it would have almost felt like highway robbery because Spurs had not threatened.

“AZ should have buried this game very early on and had the chances too.”

Tottenham, who are sitting 13th in the Premier League table, have the Europa League as their only possible opportunity for silverware this season.

Spurs will meet AZ at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday for the second leg as they look to overturn the deficit and head into the last eight of the competition, where they would meet either Ajax or Eintracht Frankfurt.

Eintracht Frankfurt won 2-1 in the first leg of their tie with Ajax, also in the Netherlands.