TOTTENHAM SUFFERED MORE Champions League misery at Wembley as a 1-0 defeat against Bayer Leverkusen left them in danger of failing to qualify for the last 16.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side are playing their European matches at Wembley this season while White Hart Lane is being redeveloped and the temporary move has proved a disaster for the north London club.
Already beaten by Monaco in their first game at their adopted home in September, Tottenham were rocked at Wembley again as Kevin Kampl bagged Leverkusen’s second half winner.
Since winning their first match at the rebuilt English national stadium against Chelsea in the 2008 League Cup final, Tottenham have now lost six consecutive games at Wembley.
It could have serious consequences for Tottenham’s Champions League campaign as Leverkusen’s first ever win in England lifted them above the Premier League team into second place in Group E.
Tottenham, without a win in their last six games in all competitions, are two points behind Leverkusen with two games remaining against Monaco and CSKA Moscow.
Pochettino had called on his players to embrace the Wembley experience and an English club record home crowd of 85,512 packed in to support them.
But once again they looked totally out of sorts and laboured to find any rhythm.
A series of sloppy Tottenham passes around their own penalty area almost presented Leverkusen with a chance in the first minute and the lethargy gripping Pochettino’s side wasn’t limited to the defence.
With Harry Kane still not fit enough to feature after his ankle injury, Son Heung-min started up front in place of Vincent Janssen.
Son had scored five times this season, but the South Korean was starved of service against his former club.
An injury to Mousa Dembele, who was replaced by Janssen, did little to improve Tottenham’s momentum.
It took over half an hour before Tottenham had a shot when Christian Eriksen’s strike was pushed away by Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno.
Leverkusen’s players trained among the joggers and dog walkers of London’s Regent Park on Wednesday morning and that low-key build-up seemed to relax them after a difficult spell in the Bundesliga.
They should have been in front just before the break when Kyle Walker carelessly lost possession to Julian Brandt on the edge of the penalty area.
When Brandt picked out Javier Hernandez a goal seemed certain, but the former Manchester United striker’s shot was deflected away by Jan Vertonghen.
Dele Alli had the ball into the net on the stroke of half-time, but the Tottenham midfielder’s effort was ruled out for a foul by Janssen in the build-up.
Pochettino’s team emerged in more vibrant mood after half-time and Alli appealed in vain for a penalty when he was sent sprawling by Omer Toprak’s lunge.
Eriksen dragged his shot narrowly wide while Tottenham continued to protest and the hosts threatened again when Walker drilled a low strike past the far post.
More negligent Tottenham defending, this time from Eric Dier, gifted Hernandez with another good chance, only for the Mexican to let him off the hook with two tame shots.
Leverkusen finally made Tottenham pay for their error-strewn display in the 65th minute.
Charles Aranguiz’s shot deflected off Ben Davies and then Walker before trickling through to Slovenia winger Kampl, who slotted past Lloris from close-range.
Dier smashed a free-kick against the crossbar in the closing moments, but that was the extent of Tottenham’s tepid and ultimately fruitless push for an equaliser.
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Classy spurs fans booing their team off after suffering only their second defeat of the season.
@Mick Power: Spurs have lost three times this season (twice in the last 10 days)
Lads, it’s Tottenham
Eamon you are right . Gunners are the kings of north London
It’s gas the way when celtic lose in Europe Thier useless and what not but not a lot is said when a spurs team who’ve spent millions is struggling in thier group which a lot easier then celtic group! The premier league is over rated completely that was a pathetic show from spurs they really need kane back asap
Ah Ryan, you can’t take EPL fans seriously. To them, in football everything begins and ends with the top 6 in England and a chip on their shoulder when it comes to Celtic.
The same people who years ago were saying Larsson was shite, Petrov was shite, Sutton was shite, Lambert was shite, Nakamura was shite, Lennon was shite etc etc. They aren’t to be taken seriously.
None of them arrived at Celtic in the prime of their careers, and none delivered success outside of the Scottish (two team) League. So yeah, relative to their primes they were poor, but made to look ok in a rubbish League…
Who didnt have success outside of the scottish league Ronan?
Chris sutton didnt deliver success outside of the scottish league? I think you will find winning the premiership is classed as success no?
And there you have it. Ronanb proving my point, someone who knows nothing about football. Sutton was one half of one of the premierships best ever striking partnerships. Go and have a look at his goal scoring record.
Larsson had one poor season at Fyenoord where he was played out of position and the new coach didn’t like him but for some reason didn’t want to sell him.
Lambert? You mean Paul Lambert who came to Celtic after winning the Champions League and marking some guy called Zidane completely out of the game and setting up the first goal? That one. Go and ask the BVB fans what they think of Paul Lambert.
I could go on but what would be the point.
@RonanPB:
I’m not a Celtic fan by any means, but unless I’m reading this incorrectly, I’m struggling to recall a more stupid statement made on the42. I don’t think anyone except yourself would argue that Larsson reached his peak wearing Celtic’s colours. He won a few Dutch cups with Feyenoord beforehand, and La Liga titles with Barcelona, and a Champions bloody League afterward.
As for Neil Lennon, he won two League Cups with Leicester before he joined Celtic.
Paul Lambert was just after winning the Champions League with Dortmund when Celtic signed him. That was a player in his prime.
@RonanPB:
Haha, I just realised you mentioned Chris Sutton too…I’d say your knowledge of football is on par with my mother’s cat.
*swedish
Same old spurs
That’s all Arsenal are. Kings of north London. Whoopee.
Hopefully they’ll be as terrible Sunday
Arsenal couldn’t win a game when they played CL football in Wembley; Spurs suffering same fate this season. Coincidence?
Yes it is a coincidence. The place is hardly haunted…
Was at the game,it was dreadful,from beginning to end,the spurs players should take a pay cut. It was a club record crowd for tonight’s game,they wouldn’t have a tenth of that ,if it was played tomorrow. Disjointed from the back & midfield,with no threat going forward,after tonight they have no place in the champions league.
Spurs season is in danger of falling apart. They’ve a tricky fixture list coming up and not looking good to qualify in the Champions League. They won’t want to come 3rd and be back playing Thursday night football.