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The 3-0 loss against Fulham was deemed “unacceptable” by Tottenham’s captain Son Heung-min, who has encouraged his fellow players to learn from it and improve.
The Spurs team went into this game feeling confident and motivated, coming off a strong win at Aston Villa the previous weekend.
It meant fifth-placed Tottenham could leapfrog Villa and reclaim fourth spot with all three points at Craven Cottage, but they were blown away as Rodrigo Muniz continued his excellent form with a goal either side of half-time.
Fulham’s Sasa Lukic scored his first goal for the team after 49 minutes, contributing to their victory. This win marks their fourth in six matches.
Son expressed his disappointment and frustration in a Sky Sports interview.
Everyone must take accountability and acknowledge that it was their fault. Our performance was not up to par with the effort we have put in all season.
“This experience was incredibly disappointing. Our efforts were not satisfactory, and did not live up to the standards we have established this season. The overall performance and attitude were inadequate.”
I believe that this should serve as a significant reminder to everyone.
This is not okay. You consistently neglect your responsibilities and, including myself, it is unacceptable that you allowed it to affect your performance and the outcome.
“We have regressed two steps, and thus must now take a significant step forward. This is crucial due to our upcoming game after the international break.”
Tottenham had a bad start and faced potential concession twice in the first 11 minutes. However, Cristian Romero’s timely blocks prevented Muniz and Andrea Pereira from scoring.
Eventually, the visitors regrouped and had opportunities through Captain Son and James Maddison, but they were unable to score from within the area. Fulham took advantage of this and scored in the 42nd minute.
Antonee Robinson created a fantastic pass from the left side, which Muniz managed to handle before elegantly placing it into the lower corner.
Lukic scored the first goal right after the start of the second half, as he deflected Alex Iwobi’s cross with his knee. Muniz added one more goal after 61 minutes to secure the win.
Calvin Bassey’s attempt was deflected onto the goal post by Guglielmo Vicario and Muniz managed to score for the seventh time in his last seven games, resulting in a disappointing loss for Tottenham.
Boss Ange Postecoglou expressed his disappointment and doubled down on his previously stated notion that Champions League qualification is not crucial for the development of his team.
Postecoglou reflected on the second half, stating that after conceding a second goal, the team lacked their usual levels of intensity and tempo that they have maintained throughout the year.
We struggled to gain control or make progress in the game, making it a disappointing night for us as we spent most of the time playing catch-up.
When asked about not having the opportunity to regain fourth place, Postecoglou responded by stating, “I do not view fourth as the ultimate goal.”
“This club has previously placed fourth and second in the past.”
My ultimate aim is not to secure fourth place. It is more important for our team to improve and progress instead of just achieving a specific ranking.
I believe that success relies on more concrete factors. Even if we only place fifth and I believe we have a strong team to compete next year (after the summer transfer window), I will not be discouraged.
Marco Silva, the manager of Fulham, celebrated yet another impressive outcome. This triumph marks their fourth win in the last six matches, which includes beating Brighton and Manchester United.
Silva emphasized that it was one of the best performances, if not the best.
The opening half of the season was exceptional as the players performed brilliantly. It was nearly flawless.
“It was a critical opportunity to score, and it was crucial to net two goals quickly in order to secure the win.”
“We earned three points with our performance.”
Source: independent.co.uk
