Title-challenging Tottenham Hotspur can’t afford to drop points against ‘smaller’ teams

Tottenham Hotspur have been very impressive in the Premier League this season. With each passing week, it looks like they are the only side that can really challenge Liverpool for the title.

Since losing to Everton on the opening day of the season, Spurs have been in imperious form and have found a way past all their opponents in the English top flight thus far. On Sunday, though, they were brought back down to earth after being held to a 1-1 draw by Crystal Palace.

While the result is disappointing from Tottenham Hotspur’s perspective, it was exactly what they deserved after letting their guard down after taking a first-half lead. Interestingly, Jose Mourinho predicted that this was going to happen.

Despite picking seven points from a possible nine against Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal, the Portuguese tactician suggested that Crystal Palace were going to be Tottenham Hotspur’s Achilles heel. And it turned out exactly as he predicted.

Under Mourinho, Tottenham Hotspur have become very good in the big games but have struggled against some of the lesser sides. In the current campaign, they’ve beaten Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal while drawing with Chelsea.

Gutted to only come away with a point from that but no time to dwell on it. Big game Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/UT7d2fZGg6

— Harry Kane (@HKane) December 13, 2020

Tottenham Hotspur are often poor against 'smaller' teams

Despite their impressive form against the big teams, Tottenham Hotspur have now dropped points against Newcastle United, West Ham United and Crystal Palace. For a side aiming to win the Premier League, dropping points to such teams could prove costly at the end of the season.

On Sunday, Mourinho accused his players of failing to play to his instruction during the second half against Roy Hodgson’s side. He said, as quoted by talkSPORT:

“I think it was very good in the first 45 minutes, not good at all between 45 and 75 and again good, dominant in the last 15. I want to say credit to them because you have to always give credit to the opponent when they do so well as they did."

“I have to admit our players couldn’t do what I asked them to do because at half-time, what I asked them to do was exactly the opposite that we did in that period.”

𝗝𝗢𝗦𝗘 🗣️ "You need to kill the game. If you don't kill the game you are always on the edge." #THFC ⚪️ #COYS pic.twitter.com/eE0C4fWb1u

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) December 13, 2020

The bottom line is that Tottenham Hotspur can’t continue dropping points against the Premier League’s lesser sides and expect to win the league. Had they won against Crystal Palace, they would have moved two points ahead of Liverpool.

As it stands, Tottenham Hotspur are level on points with the Reds on the league table ahead of Wednesday’s clash against the Merseyside giants.