After taking charge of Tottenham Hotspur at the end of June, the first substantial challenge of Nuno Espirito Santo was Manchester City. The team had to face Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. No manager can ask for such a match at the beginning of their new league season. When a team has to meet one of the best teams, it will help them know what and where the team’s problems lie.
In the first match, Nuno’s Spurs won the game against Manchester City with a goal from Son Heung Min. It was a shocking result for both teams. No one expected that the Spurs would put such an excellent defensive performance. It was the dream start for the club and Nuno. Also, the best three matchdays for Tottenham betting.
In the next league game, they again won for a goal, coming from Dele Alli. Nuno’s tactics to make their defence stringer was very well working, and the opponents found it difficult to score goals. Tottenham won three games consecutively after winning against Watford. Son Heung Min was the key again for the Spurs. They climbed to the top of the table after winning the first three matches. They also didn’t concede any goals in those matches. Three consecutive clean sheets too. It was the best start of Tottenham in the Premier League in their history. Also, Nuno won the Premier League Manager of the Month award in August.
But still, the team had some problems, and it was exposed in the UEFA Conference League matches. In the first playoff match against Pacos Ferreira, they lost by one goal. But they were able to come back in the second leg after scoring three goals.
After winning three consecutive games in the Premier League, Tottenham started to stumble. Crystal Palace thrashed them for three goals, and Tottenham didn’t react positively after conceding the goals. The team’s stability came into question after that pathetic performance against Crystal Palace. The after-effects of that match were also visible in the Conference League. They drew against Rennes in the first group stage match.
It was like a downfall for Tottenham after winning three games. In the next match, they again conceded three goals against Chelsea. The poor form of Kane and Son was criticised as they were not able to find goals.
In the London derby against Arsenal, they again conceded three goals. After winning three consecutive games, Tottenham lost three straight games and dropped down on the table.
The losses were a lesson for Nuno. Some of his tactical approaches only had temporary success, and he learned it. They were able to win the next two league matches, which helped them climb upwards in the table. Currently, they are sitting fifth in the table with 15 points.
The main target for Nuno will be to qualify for the Champions League next season. For that, the team should have consistent performances, and the goals from Kane and Son will be the key as the season progresses.
