Many at Tottenham Hotspur were frustrated by the absence of “patterns of play” under Nuno Espirito Santo with The Athletic claiming some players were looking on enviously at the football produced by Liverpool and Manchester City.
You get the feeling that, after six years under Jurgen Klopp and five under Pep Guardiola, the likes of Mo Salah, Kevin De Bruyne, Sadio Mane and Raheem Sterling could win a game – or at least score a goal – with their eyes closed.
Those patterns of play are so ingrained into the DNA at Liverpool and Manchester City they’ve become instinctive, the result of countless hours of hard work on the training ground.
And who knows, if Nuno Espirito Santo was given half a decade to instil his own ideas, perhaps we’d be talking about Tottenham Hotspur in a similar manner. But then again, maybe not.
Because, while Klopp and Guardiola blasted through the Premier League doors with an ingrained style of play and the force of personality required to instil it, Nuno’s ‘identity’ is a far more abstract concept.
Should Nuno Espirito Santo have been given more time at Tottenham?
Just what is Nuno’s MO? Sit deep and counter fast? Press and probe? Control possession or cede it?
After ten Premier League games at the helm, no-one was any closer to figuring out how Nuno’s Spurs side were supposed to play.
According to The Athletic, the lack of identity and well-drilled patterns of play quickly became a cause for concern behind the scenes, especially after a 3-1 north London derby defeat to an Arsenal side who executed their game plan perfectly.
Say what you want about Mikel Arteta, at least his Gunners side appear to be following a blueprint.
It’s understood many Tottenham players were left “frustrated” by Nuno’s methods, glancing enviously at Anfield and the Etihad as Liverpool and City cruised to the top of the Premier League in their usual swaggering style.
Nuno was put out of his misery after five defeats in ten league games yesterday, with the trophy-hoarding Antonio Conte expected to replace him on a short-term deal.
You can be sure it won’t be a quiet time at Tottenham training.
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