Tottenham Hotspur must shake off the gloom of their dismal defeat to Chelsea when they return to action on Tuesday night, hosting Copenhagen in the Champions League at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Thomas Frank’s side were booed off after their 1-0 loss in Saturday’s London derby, a result that deepened frustration around their recent form. It was their second straight defeat in all competitions and another reminder of how far their performances at home have fallen short.
Spurs created almost nothing against Chelsea, finishing with their lowest-ever expected goals figure in a Premier League match.
Frank admitted it was the poorest attacking display of his career and promised changes ahead of Copenhagen’s visit.
He will need a swift response. Tottenham have taken five points from their opening three Champions League fixtures, keeping their unbeaten record intact, but a third consecutive setback in all competitions could derail their European momentum.
Their 21-match unbeaten home run in continental competition remains a source of pride, yet the atmosphere in North London has turned tense. Players such as Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence drew criticism for walking off at full-time without acknowledging the fans on Saturday, underlining the discontent surrounding the club.
Copenhagen arrive in London searching for their first win of the Champions League campaign. The Danish champions have managed just one point from their three matches, drawing with Bayer Leverkusen before falling to Qarabag and Borussia Dortmund.
Jacob Neestrup’s men were beaten 4-2 by Dortmund in a thrilling encounter in their last European outing but have steadied themselves domestically, earning seven points from their last three league matches.
However, history does not favour the visitors. Copenhagen have never beaten an English team away from home and have won only two of their last 21 away matches in the Champions League.
Their resilience and organisation, though, make them a tricky opponent for a Spurs side struggling for confidence. Frank will be under pressure to strike the right balance between discipline and creativity, something his side lacked entirely against Chelsea.
Tottenham’s attacking options were limited at the weekend, with Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison still missing, but Frank will expect greater urgency from the players available.
A win would go a long way toward restoring belief and keeping Tottenham in contention for a top-eight finish in the Champions League league phase.
Anything less, and the frustration around the Tottenham Hotspur stadium could deepen further before the international break.
