Fulham handed Tottenham Hotspur a seismic blow by beating them 2-0 on Sunday.
Jamie O’Hara claimed Ange Postecoglou could get sacked as the negativity surrounding Spurs and their manager does not look like it will come to a halt anytime soon.
But with Tottenham being as inconsistent as they are, the supporters have every reason but to be irritable.
The 2024/2025 season has been a torturous watch for the Lilywhites fans who continue to attend Premier League games in big numbers despite their side languishing in 14th place.
Wayne Rooney was reviewing Tottenham’s latest defeat and against Fulham and he had a bone to pick with Djed Spence.
Wayne Rooney unhappy with Djed Spence’s lazy defending during Fulham vs Tottenham
While analysing the contest, Rooney initially claimed that Spence’s positioning in the lead-up to Ryan Sessegnon’s second goal was perfect.
However, what baffled Wayne Rooney is that Spence completely “switched off” and did not track Sessegnon’s run, leaving Ben Davies to mark him who was turned inside and out before the ball eventually ended up in the back of the net.
Rooney claimed on BBC Match of the Day 2: “I think on this goal as well, if you look at Djed Spence and his positioning, he’s actually in a good position. Here, Sessegnon is out wide so he knows where he is, he can see him but for some reason, he closes his body off and switches off so he doesn’t see him.”
“But at this moment here, Djed Spence will see him. Ange is calling for offside, which its never offside. He doesn’t react, he doesn’t get back, Davies is one-v-one. He’s running away from goal, he runs 13 yards the wrong way. If he gets back, he takes the ball off Sessegnon’s foot there.”
“So, I think that was a theme all game with Tottenham. There was no reaction to losing the ball, there was no energy, there was no fight, no desire and if the manager has made changes and brought players in to try and fight for the players when they do come into the squad for the Europa League if he’s saying the league is done, they have to do better.”
Djed Spence could risk being dropped if he doesn’t follow Ange Postecoglou’s public demand
What will upset Ange Postecoglou is that the Englishman’s error against Fulham came down to a lack of effort rather than making a rare defensive mistake.
Postecoglou urged Spence to keep working hard a few weeks ago as well.
“Yeah, as I said last week, he’s been outstanding, he continues to be outstanding. The challenge for Djed is to keep going, you know, not to be satisfied with what he’s got now and with the same hunger and attitude that he’s taken his opportunity. As you said, that’s all you can sort of provide is an opportunity, he needs now to make sure that he doesn’t look back from that and keeps pushing on because he’s got so still so much I think growth in him and potential.”
“He hasn’t really been settled in his career apart over the years, at Forest where he kind of really had some great form, but since then it’s been stop-start for him or he’s just got to ensure now that now that he’s up and running, he keeps going.”
While Spence has been very consistent for a number of weeks now, he could very well lose his place in the side if he starts to become complacent as Wayne Rooney pointed out.
