Igor Tudor reveals his plan for Tuesday training after Tottenham defeat left him ‘very angry’

2 hours ago 26

Igor Tudor got a reality check about Tottenham’s current level after seeing his side decimated by Arsenal in the North London derby on Sunday.

The atmosphere at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was much more positive than we have seen for much of this season, with the supporters getting behind the team in what is the start of a new era.

The players certainly responded in the first period, playing with intensity and managing to level the score almost instantly after the away side took the lead in the first period.

However, it was a different story when the players came out of the tunnel for the second-half, with Arsenal putting three more goals past the home side, whose defending left a lot to be desired.

Igor Tudor admits Tottenham’s loss against Arsenal showed him the current reality

The Croat admitted that the game on the 4-1 defeat showed the gap between the two sides and where Tottenham stand right now.

He also revealed that he made it clear to the Spurs players that he expects them to work harder than they have when they return to training on Tuesday.

When asked if Sunday’s result shows the scale of his challenge or the quality of Arsenal, Tudor responded (via Football.London): “Both things. Both things. Big gap in this specific moment between the two teams. It was too much Arsenal for us in this moment with the problems we have. Also it’s nice to understand where we are because you prepare in the best possible way then there is the game to show you reality.

“So it’s nice from one point of view so each of us understand and come, as I said the players, stay quiet they come on Tuesday and restart after these three or four training sessions to start to work harder than we did until now. To change our habits, to change the state of mind which is now as a team. It is the only way to work.”

When asked what he thought of Tottenham’s defesive performance, Tudor said: “Too much problems in this moment to let this level of team not punish you. Because you wanted to go to press high but to press high from back, you need to jump, so if you are late and don’t take the ball around there, also with the ball. So we prepare to press high, but we didn’t take the ball. So we need more time to be in a physical moment and physical situation that we can go strong and take the ball. Now we are not in that moment.”

Tudor admits he sensed a lack of confidence among the Spurs players

The 47-year-old confessed that it was evident his players were lacking confidence in possession and called on the squad to look in the mirror.

He suggested that the only way Tottenham can improve is by working hard and the players changing their bad habits.

Tudor added: “Even with the ball, a lack of confidence is very evident in the team. So we wanted and prepared to do the things but there is an opponent, there is a reality today. So I’m very sad and very angry and everything but in one way it is also good to understand where is our goal.

“What is the goal of this club. What is the goal of this team. What is this goal of this coach, these players, this staff. To become serious. Serious, not just a group of 20 players, and the medicine is you look in the mirror. Each of us look in the mirror and really try, really start to change the habits. Working hard is the only way.”