On Thursday evening, Spurs travelled to the South Coast, as they faced AFC Bournemouth for match day fourteen of the 24/25 Premier League season, live on Amazon Prime.
For the game, Ange went with a line up of; Forster; Gray, Dragusin, Davies, Udogie; Sarr, Bissouma, Maddison; Kulusevski, Solanke, Johnson.
After four minutes, Davies entered the referee’s book for cynically fouling Evanilson. A long time to be on a yellow card, especially for a defender.
Eight minutes in, Solanke ran through on goal, but smashed the bouncing ball well over the crossbar, amidst pressure from a Bournemouth defender. A minute later, the striker won the ball back, driving forward before having a shot blocked.
With a quarter of an hour gone, a Bournemouth corner was headed home at the far post. The same stories every single game. Absolutely pathetic.
Not long before the half time interval, a header from Tavernier had to be well kept out by Forster, as Spurs once again struggled to defend their own box.
Twelve minutes into the second half, Son replaced Sarr. On the hour mark, the skipper found Maddison, who turned and shot just wide of the post.
Soon after, Ange had another injury to deal with, as Davies had to make way, and was replaced by Porro, with Gray moving across to central defence:
With twenty minutes remaining, Spurs were caught playing out from the back, with Evanilson finding the back of the net. However, the striker was adjudged to have been offside.
There were ten minutes left when Tavernier fired over the bar when really well placed, as Spurs once again got away with murder. Absolutely poverty performance. Just before, Werner and Bergvall had replaced Maddison and Bissouma.
Just a couple of minutes later, Bournemouth once again missed another couple of presentable opportunities to make it 2-0. Spurs absolutely cut apart again and again.
That would be that, and Spurs were condemned to an embarrassing defeat. It was only 1-0, but it could have been four or five, and it would not have flattered the hosts had that been the case. Ange's side now sit 10th in the Premier League, with 20 points from 14 games. They had 26 from 10 games to start last season.
Just the small matter of Cole Palmer and co on Sunday against Chelsea. That one could get seriously, seriously ugly.