Tottenham suffered a shock exit in the FA Cup fifth-round on Tuesday as Middlesbrough produced another FA Cup upset by knocking out Tottenham with a 1-0 extra-time victory in the fifth round.
Tottenham suffered a shock exit in FA Cup fifth-round tie against Middlesbrough on Tuesday. (Getty Images)
Boro dumped Manchester United out on penalties at Old Trafford in the fourth round and followed it up in style to beat Spurs, with 19-year-old Josh Coburn’s 107th-minute strike settling the tie.
The Championship outfit were the better side throughout, booking their quarter-final spot and ensuring Spurs will end another season without a trophy after an abject display on Teesside.
Josh Coburn’s extra-time finish ensured Middlesborough overcame Tottenham Hotspur to progress into the FA Cup quarter-finals, leaving Antonio Conte’s side facing another trophy-less season. (Getty Images)
Why Eric Dier was fuming with Son?
Eric Dier and Son Heung-min were involved in a heated argument last night as Tottenham Hotspur crashed out of the FA Cup after losing 1-0 against Championship side Middlesbrough.
Arsenal loanne Folarin Balogun had a huge chance to open the scoring, but the youngster’s effort from the edge of the box was off target.
The chance came after Son lost the ball in the middle of the park. The South Korean received a pass at the halfway line from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and just as he was about to go the other way, he lost the ball and that almost cost Spurs in the second half.
Luckily at that point, Balogun missed the target but Eric Dier was furious with Son for giving the ball away so cheaply.
Tottenham’s free-kicks dilemma
Harry Kane and free-kicks is not a recipe that goes together massively successfully…”
What next?
Tottenham have yet to find their answer to who should take free-kicks following Christian Eriksen’s departure from the club to join Italian side Inter Milan in January 2020.
Harry Kane always be given the responsibility for free kicks but It’s true that Kane’s record from free-kicks leaves lot to be desired – From his 174 Premier League goals, just one has been from a free-kick.
You can understand the reasons for him taking them but the production simply hasn’t been there.
TOTTENHAM fans were left in disbelief after Harry Kane took the ‘worst free kick ever seen’.
With the score tied at 0-0, Spurs were presented with a golden chance to go ahead early in the second half-direct free-kick outside the Boro box only for Harry Kane to tun towards the ball, he slipped over
It’s easy to forget that Eric Dier is among a select few players to have scored a free-kick for England at a major tournament. Dier’s superb free-kick that gave England the lead against Russia in their opening game of Euro 2016 is not a football memory that is at the forefront of most of our minds, but most of the times, Harry Kane always assume the position which has caused outrage among the Spurs fans on Twitter.
Top four or nothing for Tottenham
Winning the FA Cup was Conte’s final act with Chelsea and, as it appeared at the time, in England. But with Tottenham out of the Europa Conference League and the title race, the FA Cup is the only piece of silverware available to Conte.
The Italian has been extremely vocal about his past successes and how he is used to challenging for titles and trophies, rather than top four positions.
However, the shock exit against Middlesbrough makes only Premier League top-four to salvage the season for the Lilywhites.
Spurs’ Inconsistency remains
Tottenham have won just two of their past six games and Brentford are the only Premier League team to have lost more matches in 2022. (Getty Images)
Tottenham’s inconsistent form continued with a seventh defeat in 13 games in 2022, and former England striker Alan Shearer said it was “typical” of the north London club.
“This was no fluke, Boro were the better team from start to finish,” said Shearer.
“Chris Wilder can be so proud of his team. The crowd were up for it, the players were up for it. Spurs were so flaky, typical Tottenham.”
Also, Former Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe called it “massively disappointing” and said Tottenham should have dominated against a side a division below them.
Aside from Doherty’s chance just before half-time, Tottenham were surprisingly sluggish, particularly when the ball got into the final third.
At times, Spurs were reduced to the compact, counter attacking side as Middlesbrough overloaded the midfield areas and pressed them high up the pitch- the crispness, efficiency, and speed in Tottenham’s performance at Elland Road was absent at the Riverside.
This inconsistency and lack of firepower could come back to haunt Tottenham’s ambitions this season.
Tottenham trophy drought continues
Tottenham’s wait for a major trophy stretches on for a 14th year in 2022 as the Premier League side suffered a humbling 1-0 FA Cup away defeat at Championship high flyers Middlesbrough.
Chris Wilder’s side made headlines in the Fourth Round, with a penalty shootout win away at Manchester United, and they battled through a marathon 120 minutes against Spurs.
The FA Cup exit means Spurs’ last trophy win remains Juande Ramos’s 2008 League Cup (Carabao Cup), with defeats in the 2009, 2015 and 2021 League Cup finals and the 2019 Champions League final.
Heung-min Son abysmal performance
Son was presented with the Spurs’ three best chances of the night, all saved by Joe Lumley, but his all-round game was littered with errors.
Heung-min Son had a frustrating night yesterday (Getty Images)
Off the pace and missed a big chance at the end of normal time when, unmarked, he sent a header straight at the goalkeeper from six yards.
Got a telling off from Dier and Kane at various points in the second half and extra-time. Had another big chance at the end of the first half of extra-time, backheeling a Kulusevski cross which the keeper stopped at the second attempt. He got into good positions but was poor when the ball arrived.
Frequently gave the ball away and might have been replaced if Spurs had more in reserve.
Tottenham face off struggling Everton at home on Monday’s night as the battle for Premier League top-four race continues.