Micky van de Ven criticized Tottenham’s recent performance as “unacceptable,” as their winless run in the Premier League has now reached five matches.
On Saturday, Spurs suffered a 3-2 loss to Aston Villa, despite a last-ditch effort that saw Conor Gallagher and Jan Paul van Hecke find the net—yet it wasn’t enough after Johan Manzambi, Nicolas Jackson, and Emiliano Buendia had already scored for Villa.
Roberto De Zerbi’s squad will find themselves in the relegation zone during the extended international break, having earned only two points so far.
If Fulham manages to avoid defeat against Manchester United this weekend, Spurs could end up at the bottom of the table.
Although they finally scored their first Premier League goal this season, Spurs are experiencing their poorest start in the league after five matches, with two points and a goal difference of -6—worse than their 2008-09 performance.
Additionally, they were eliminated from the EFL Cup in the third round by Liverpool earlier in the week, but Van de Ven is determined that they will improve after the break.
“I think we performed well in the first half, creating numerous opportunities. Conceding while down to ten men is always challenging,” Van de Ven told TNT Sports.
“Our second half was simply not adequate. The manner in which we conceded goals is unacceptable. I need to analyze it further, but we definitely need to improve.”
“We have to maintain a positive outlook. It’s tough at the moment with everyone heading off for international duty, but upon our return, we need to put in the work.”
Full-time. pic.twitter.com/zuTzrP9kuV
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) September 19, 2026
Since the beginning of the 2024-25 season, Spurs have now lost 22 home league matches—just one fewer than their entire combined total over the last four seasons (23).
In fact, they’ve not secured a victory in any of their last 48 matches in all competitions when conceding the first goal (drawing 11 and losing 37), with 37 of those matches occurring in the Premier League (8 draws, 29 losses).
After a summer transfer spree that saw them invest over £300 million to enhance a squad that finished 17th in the last two seasons, pundit Joe Cole now sees Spurs facing a possible relegation battle once more in the 2026-27 season.
“They’ve overpaid for every player they brought in this summer,” he commented on TNT Sports.
“You can’t dismiss the possibility of them being dragged into the relegation scrap. They’re struggling to score goals, and their defense appears vulnerable.”
“The way they play leaves the center-backs exposed, which is why you need defenders capable of handling one-on-one situations. Jackson may be challenging, but the defending for that goal wasn’t up to par.”
“They have a serious issue—not just with scoring goals but also with their fragility. Combine both, and it leads to one inevitable conclusion.”
“It looks like a long season ahead for Tottenham.”
Fan Take: This situation is critical for soccer fans, as a historically prominent club like Tottenham struggling could impact the dynamics of the Premier League. If Spurs continue their poor form, it could signal a larger trend of instability among top-tier teams, affecting the overall excitement and competitiveness within the sport.
Source: www.soccernews.com
