Tottenham Hotspur have left themselves with a mountain to climb in the second leg of their Europa League last-16 clash against AZ Alkmaar, following a disappointing first-leg defeat in the Netherlands.
Spurs succumbed to a narrow 1-0 loss at the AFAS Stadium on Thursday night, with the decisive moment coming in unfortunate fashion. Teenage midfielder Lucas Bergvall inadvertently turned the ball into his own net in the 18th minute, handing AZ an early lead that would ultimately prove to be the difference between the two sides.
Despite having more than 70 minutes to respond, Ange Postecoglou’s men struggled to make any meaningful impact in the final third. Tottenham managed just a single shot on target throughout the entire match, failing to significantly test AZ’s goalkeeper.
Les Ferdinand Disagrees with Postecoglou’s Post-Match Comments
Speaking after the game, Les Ferdinand analyzed Spurs’ lackluster performance on TNT Sports and took issue with one of Postecoglou’s post-match remarks.
The Spurs boss suggested that the playing surface had been a challenge for his side, stating:
“It was a tricky pitch and we really didn’t handle it well.”
However, while Postecoglou acknowledged that there were multiple factors at play, Ferdinand was unimpressed by the reference to the pitch conditions.
“I wish he hadn’t said that,” Ferdinand responded. “We’re not there, so I don’t know what the pitch is like. But they [AZ] seemed to play alright on it, they seemed okay on it.”
Ferdinand also pointed out a discrepancy in Postecoglou’s comments compared to his pre-match approach:
“He said before the game that we want to be aggressive, we want to be in their faces, and we saw none of that. He alluded to it, he said we weren’t good enough.”
“I’m not sure I would blame the pitch for the problems that Spurs had.”
Injury Concern for Solanke
Adding to Tottenham’s woes, Dominic Solanke was forced to leave the pitch late in the game after picking up a knock. The striker, who has been an important presence in Postecoglou’s attacking setup, will now be assessed ahead of the club’s upcoming fixtures.
Postecoglou, however, played down concerns over the injury, suggesting that it was not a serious issue. Spurs will be hoping that Solanke is fit to feature in both their upcoming Premier League clash and the all-important second leg against AZ.
Son Heung-min Delivers a Blunt Assessment
Tottenham captain Son Heung-min did not hold back in his evaluation of the team’s performance. The South Korean international was brutally honest in his post-match interview, expressing frustration over how Spurs approached the game.
“That was nowhere near where we should perform,” Son admitted. “It’s very disappointing that we performed like this, including me.”
He emphasized the importance of bouncing back and acknowledged the magnitude of next week’s second leg:
“It’s a big wake-up call as next week is the biggest game of the season. It was sloppiness and not performing the way we should.”
“Everybody is disappointed with their individual performance and team performance.”
Son made it clear that there were no excuses for the underwhelming display:
“No excuses, it was not good enough. We have to be much, much better next week.”
Upcoming Fixtures: Premier League and Europa League Showdown
Tottenham will now need to quickly shift their focus back to domestic action as they prepare to face Bournemouth at home in the Premier League this Sunday, with kick-off scheduled for 2pm.
However, all eyes will be on next week’s Europa League second leg against AZ Alkmaar, which will take place on Thursday, March 13, at 8pm at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
With their European campaign on the line, Spurs will need a vastly improved performance to overturn the deficit and keep their hopes of silverware alive.
‘I wish he hadn’t said that’: Les Ferdinand not happy with what Ange Postecoglou said after Spurs lost to AZ last night
