Tottenham Hotspur’s new manager Igor Tudor pulled no punches in his post-match assessment following his team’s 4-1 defeat at Arsenal.
In his first match in charge at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Croatian tactician witnessed a performance that appeared to be marred by deep-rooted “bad habits” within the team.
Despite Spurs languishing in 16th place after a crushing defeat, Tudor remains defiant about the team’s chances of survival, despite his scathing diagnosis of the current dressing room culture.
Manager Igor Tudor says Tottenham have good players with bad habits
After the final whistle, Tudor was asked by the media if he still remained confident Tottenham could avoid a devastating relegation.
His reaction was a mixture of faith in the team’s raw talent and dissatisfaction with their application.
Tudor said that although the physical quality was there, the “mental” burden from the previous regime and a lack of concentration in key moments, such as conceding a goal in the second half just 23 seconds into the game, were what currently separated them from the elite.
He said (via BBC Sport):
“Of course I’m confident, because I believe they are good players with bad habits. They are good players. No one can say they don’t have quality. But to be in the game from the first minute to the second minute, you have to flip the mental switch and keep this mental sharpness.”
Tottenham are in serious danger of relegation
Tudor talks of a “mental switch,” but the standings tell a far more urgent story. The 4-1 defeat, boosted by braces from Ebelesi Eze and Victor Gokeres, means Spurs are without a win in the Premier League throughout 2026 so far.
With 11 games left, Tottenham sit four points above the relegation zone.
The “state of emergency” that Tudor described when he took over has only intensified, with footage showing key players such as Micky van de Ven ignoring Tudor’s instructions, making it extremely difficult to break these “bad habits” before stepping down.
Tottenham must find their sharpness quickly in next Sunday’s crucial game or face unimaginable prospects in Championship football.
