5/10 The Tottenham star suffered his worst game of the season

Tottenham Hotspur They were defeated before Nottingham Forest At the City Ground in a devastating blow to Angie Postecoglouseason.

Form and performance have been up and down of late, and while Postecoglou's grumblings about injuries carry weight, there is no excuse for in-game management and a stubborn grip on a tactical approach that won't work with the tools at hand.

Square pegs in round holes? Tottenham certainly feels like a team struggling to reconcile its players and its identity. Once again, Tottenham were beaten in the league Premier League. Nine defeats from 18 matches – only Wolverhampton Wanderers and Southampton have suffered more.

to Nuno Espirito Santothis must have been revenge after his unfortunate – and short – stint in N17, while Aang climbed deeper into a swamp that was about to swallow him up, injury crisis or not.

Interestingly, patchwork centre-back duo Archie Gray, 18, and Radu Dragosin can hold their heads higher than most players. Tottenham failed due to a lack of belief, energy and inspiration.

The Tricky Trees are 11 points clear of the 11th-placed Lilywhites, who could slip further before the round ends.

Tottenham are the worst performers in Forest

While some may describe Tottenham's performance on Boxing Day as “despicable”, Nuno's equipped troops deserve praise. They stuck to their game plan, executed it professionally, and defended as a team. They outgunned and outmaneuvered the struggling Londoners.

Six defeats from ten Premier League matches. Tough times for Tottenham. Defensively, Spurs have been poor at times this season, despite most of their key players being sidelined, but attacking has been the crux of the drama for the visitors.

Heung Min Son He is a modern legend of the club and remains one of the elite strikers in the Premier League – on his day. But it is He is decrease. At the age of 32, the South Korean's shortcomings were exposed against Forest's physical and organized backline, with journalist Mitch Fretton even commenting that the skipper was “Absolutely terrible again“In numb and toothless effort.

In number nine, Dominic Solanke He struggled but lacked any meaningful service. on the right, Brennan Johnson He was lively but flattered to deceive in front of goal, testing Matz Silz three times, According to SovascorBut failing to take advantage of opportunities confidently.

Hard times are everywhere. Tottenham have quality, attacking intent and long-term vision, but something is lost somewhere, something important and indefinable. Was it the lack of tactical flexibility that let Tottenham down? Or are the players and their manager frustrated by injuries that have exacerbated fears and stripped exciting football of depth?

Things definitely need to improve, and there is one man above all others who can serve as the catalyst for positive change. Dejan Kulusevski is shaping up to be a star, but he was not present at the races in Nottingham.

Dejan Kulusevski's worst display in 2024/25

Playing in the No. 10 role, Kulusevski failed as an attacking conduit for Spurs, restricting Solanke in front of him and failing to impress the home side's strong defence.

He is a dynamic player, confident in a range of positions, but the top-class Anji player was frustrated by a Nottingham Forest system that mobilized him and minimized his noise and threat.

Tottenham reporter Alasdair Gould has been a staunch defender of Kulusevski this season, championing the Swedish star's rise to the highest levels of Premier League football, but he couldn't help but do so. Giving him a match rating of 5/10 Yesterday, he indicated that lethargy took over him as the match continued into the decisive late stages.

Kulusevski's lack of defensive effort that day proved particularly problematic, as he lost 11 duels and failed to even win a tackle or interception. Sure, he was in an advanced role and Spurs dominated possession, but Forest excelled in their encircling positions, absorbed the rubbery firepower and scored through Anthony Elanga, in a well-crafted encounter.

Better days lie ahead, but the 24-year-old – who has also lost the ball on 26 occasions – will be frustrated after carrying some sort of magical burden this season. It is scary to think that the north London club would be in a more miserable position and possibly without a coach if Kulusevski were not in the picture.

He wasn't the only one responsible – not at all. If Son had not squandered that glorious counter-kick opportunity, it could have been a different story indeed.

Football is full of such variables, and analyzing them using an analytical lens will only get you so far. What is clear is that Kulusevski has failed to capitalize on the incredible quality that has been on display so often this season. It was his worst performance of the campaign, but because he carried the ugly rocks of mass disharmony, such a performance was always lurking around the corner.

Now we find the root of the problem: is this a reflection of the Swede’s struggle or a comment on how Tottenham let him down? He can't play that role every week, not with his peers failing to pull their weight.

And so after that. We sit and wait for the endless streak of winter to end. Aang waits for his injured stars to return to the brood. How much will change when that fateful day comes?

Kulusevski and his teammates failed to turn up today, and no number of absent personnel can detract from the fact that qualified and tested Premier League players were unable to shift their weight.

permission. Tottenham sit and wait. Sit and wait. Something needs to change – what will it be?