Liverpool 4 Tottenham 0: Glenn Hoddle claims Spurs had already lost match in the tunnel as he slams pre-game behaviour
Hoddle was scathing in his criticism of the Spurs players' behaviour in the Anfield tunnel, and claimed it was because of this that they conceded so early in the match
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Your support makes all the difference.Former Tottenham manager Glenn Hoddle blasted Tottenham for their attitude before the 4-0 defeat at the hands of Liverpool, claiming they looked like a beaten team before they walked out of the Anfield tunnel.
Hoddle, who in recent weeks claimed he could have been the Spurs manager when Andre villas-Boas was sacked in December, claimed that the players’ behaviour in the tunnel looked as if they knew they were already beaten, and explained at half-time that the early Younes Kaboul own-goal demonstrated such a lack of belief in the squad.
“I didn’t like them in tunnel,” Hoddle said in the Sky Sports studio at the break. “Vertonghen was leaning against the wall with two hands behind his back.
“They were too relaxed, too flimsy, chatting away, coming here with no steel - and they’ve conceded a dreadful goal straight away.”
Hoddle continued his attack on the opening goal – scored after 98 seconds – which saw the Spurs defence sit off Liverpool’s fearsome attack before Kaboul turned a Glen Johnson cross into his own net.
“You see a little bit of urgency from Tottenham when they have the ball,” the former England manager added. “But when Liverpool get it there’s no urgency, no closing down, no energy to win it in the middle third.”
With an ex-manager in the studio giving his opinion on proceedings, Spurs’ supporters were left to question “where is our manager” as Tim Sherwood elected to sit in the stands rather than take his position in the dugout. He spoke after the match of his desire not to shirk “responsibility” for the defeat, and claimed that he would be able to analyse the side further from a better viewpoint rather than standing pitch-side.
“They are entitled to have an opinion,” Sherwood said of the away fans’ chants. “I am going to learn more from sitting up there than getting in trouble on the touchline.
“They know me well enough to know I am not shirking responsibility. It is my responsibility as well as the guys on the pitch.
“All the plans all week go out the window after the two goals. You can’t legislate for that. You can’t coach that.
“No one wants to make individual mistakes and I would never criticise anyone for doing that because they are honest players and they want to do well but it is very, very difficult when you go 2-0 down against a good side like Liverpool.”
The heavy loss consigned Spurs to a seventh defeat from their eight matches against the top four, in which they have conceded a worrying 27 goals in the league this season.
“Our performances against teams in the top four have not been good enough,” added Sherwood.
“We see enough of me ranting and raving and it is time for me to take a step back and look what we need to do for the future.”
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