Nuno admits Spurs feel-good factor lost after humbling defeat
Tottenham
Was this a glimpse into the postharry Kane future? Tottenham Hotspur will certainly hope not, as the England captain’s lesser-known team-mates totally failed to rise to the not-so-glamorous occasion of a Europa Conference League play-off.
What a dreary, uninspiring evening for Tottenham and Nuno Espirito Santo, who oversaw such a contrasting performance against Manchester City last weekend.
This was a much-changed team, in fairness, with debutants and youth products looking to make their mark. But it was far from promising for those fringe players.
“Obviously not a good performance,” said head coach Nuno, who admitted the feel-good factor from Sunday had now disappeared.
The good news is that Tottenham still have next week’s second leg to turn around this tie against Pacos de Ferreira. Perhaps Kane will be needed for the return, if he is still a Tottenham player, and Son Heungmin could come back in, as Nuno knows his team will need more attacking impetus to qualify for the group stage of this competition.
“Nobody likes to lose a game, to not play good,” he said. “But we have to bounce back.”
A solitary goal from Lucas Silva was enough for Pacos de Ferreira, who did an admirable job of disrupting the rhythm of the visitors, even if it was not quite the star-studded Tottenham side that their fans might have hoped to see, with Kane also left at home to work on his fitness.
Instead Nuno’s line-up was a combination of senior players, new signings and youth prospects. It looked
a little disjointed on paper, and it soon became clear that it would also be painfully disjointed in reality.
The only bright spark in the opening minutes came from Bryan Gil, a 20-year-old winger who excelled in Spain last season. Tottenham secured his services for £20million and one Erik Lamela, and there are high hopes for the young Spaniard, whose run created Tottenham’s only chance of the first 45 minutes, which Ryan Sessegnon squandered.
Aside from that, it was as flat as Tottenham’s fans would have feared when they first qualified for this third-tier European competition.
The opening goal, when it arrived, was hardly unfair on Nuno’s side. The ponderous Cristian Romero, enduring an unenjoyable full debut, was slow to turn as Silva darted free and slotted past Pierluigi Gollini, another Spurs debutant.
Sessegnon did his best to drag Tottenham back into the game after the break, but he did not have much help. Young Dane Scarlett, only 17, looked predictably lightweight in attack and there was little offered by any of the forward players alongside him on a disappointing night for all of a Tottenham persuasion.
Pacos de Ferreira (4-2-3-1) A Ferreira 6; Fernando 6, Da Silva Ramos 6, Baixinho 6, Antunes 6; Eustaquio 5, Luiz Carlos 7; H Ferreira 6 (Uilton 72), Nuno Santos 5 (Djalo 62), Silva 7 (Delgado 72); Denilson 6 (Pedro 88).
Subs Oliviera (g), Jeimes, Lima, Ibrahim, Bastos, Jorge Silva, Rui Pires, Douglas Tanque.
Booked Luiz Carlos, H Ferreira, Delgado.
Tottenham Hotspur (3-4-3) Gollini 5; Carter-vickers 4 (Paskotsi 87), Romero 4, Davies 5; Doherty 4, Lo Celso 4, Winks 4, Sessegnon 6 (Bennett 81); John 5 (Clarke 45), Scarlett 5, Gil 6. Subs Austin (g), White, Cesay, Matthew Craig, Michael Craig, Lyons-foster, Mundle.
Booked Davies, Gil.
Referee Maurizio Mariani (Italy).