‘This Is Unacceptable’ – Jeff Stelling Reacts in Disbelief as Tottenham ‘Shocker’ Sends Shockwaves Through the Premier League
‘This Is Unacceptable’ – Jeff Stelling Reacts in Disbelief as Tottenham ‘Shocker’ Sends Shockwaves Through the Premier League
Jeff Stelling has admitted he is seriously worried about Tottenham Hotspur after taking a closer look at their daunting run of upcoming Premier League fixtures, with fears growing that the club could be heading for another deeply underwhelming season.
Spurs are now being tipped to finish the campaign on just 46 points following their latest defeat to Manchester United – a total that would represent only an eight-point improvement on last season. Given that one of the main reasons Ange Postecoglou was shown the door was Tottenham’s league finish last term, such a marginal rise would hardly be viewed as progress. Unless Thomas Frank somehow engineers an unlikely late push towards the Champions League places, the numbers alone suggest the club may once again fall well short of expectations.
Speaking live on talkSPORT on Monday, Stelling did not hide his alarm when running through Spurs’ fixture list, admitting it left him “frightened” for what lies ahead. The broadcaster pointed to a crucial clash with Newcastle at home as just the beginning of a brutal sequence, before rattling off a run that includes Arsenal, Fulham away, Crystal Palace at home, and then a trip to Liverpool. With Tottenham’s confidence already fragile, Stelling questioned whether Frank’s side have shown enough resilience to survive such a punishing schedule.
Stelling’s concerns will resonate strongly with supporters, many of whom are already growing restless over Frank’s tenure. While some fans may cling to hope that change could spark an upturn in form, others believe the pressure is rapidly building towards a breaking point. The underlying issues in Tottenham’s performances have been hard to ignore, particularly in attack, where Frank has struggled to find a consistent and effective formula from open play.
That problem is laid bare by the statistics. Of Spurs’ 35 league goals this season, a staggering 12 have come from set-piece situations, underlining how reliant they have become on dead-ball scenarios rather than fluid attacking play. It is a trend that has done little to inspire trust among the fanbase, especially with such a gruelling run of matches on the horizon.
As Stelling hinted, the fixture that looms largest is the North London derby. A home defeat to Arsenal could be catastrophic for Frank’s future, potentially proving the final straw for a hierarchy already under scrutiny. And even if he somehow survives that showdown, an intimidating trip to Anfield awaits soon after. With pressure mounting week by week, Tottenham’s season – and Thomas Frank’s job – could be defined by what happens next.