Just as Tottenham Hotspur appeared to be generating some momentum, a limp display and an embarrassing defeat at Nottingham Forest. Ibrahim Sangaré leathered in a sensational first-time strike to cap the 3-0 victory and a deeply satisfying week for Sean Dyche, whose side have established daylight between them and the relegation zone, moving five points clear of West Ham.
An unedifying defeat for Spurs was underpinned by another erratic performance by their goalkeeper, Guglielmo Vicario, who was at fault for Forest’s first two goals, both scored by Callum Hudson-Odoi; Vicario’s hospital pass led to Forest’s opener and his positioning was exposed for a freakish second. By the end, the oles were out in force on a truly miserable afternoon for Thomas Frank.
Spurs hoped to build on Tuesday’s victory over Slavia Prague and win three games in a row for the first time since October last season. Frank made two changes from midweek, Rodrigo Bentancur and Randal Kolo Muani promoted to the starting lineup but were flat from the first whistle and fortunate that after arriving to the penalty spot unmarked Sangaré’s fourth-minute header from Nicolò Savona’s hanging cross crashed against the base of a post. The ball cannoned to Igor Jesus, whose effort was blocked by Bentancur, and then Vicario was called into action, springing to his left to keep out a thudded Neco Williams effort.
Spurs struggled to relieve the pressure. Nikola Milenkovic sent a header off target and approaching the half-hour Forest seized the lead. It was a dreadful goal from Tottenham’s perspective. There was little danger when Cristian Romero, the Spurs captain, passed back to his goalkeeper on the edge of the six-yard box but Vicario bobbled a pass into Gray just outside the 18-yard box and Sangaré stormed in to pickpocket the 19-year-old who called for the ball but was oblivious to the Forest midfielder breathing down his neck. Suddenly, Sangaré was in on goal but, unselfishly, he squared to provide Hudson-Odoi with the simplest of finishes from a few yards out. Gray, head bowed, looked as if he wanted the City Ground to swallow him whole, ignoring Bentancur’s embrace.
How would Spurs react? Poorly. Gray rattled a hopeful effort at the Forest goalkeeper John Victor’s near post in the 33rd minute after the former Forest loanee Djed Spence, who helped the club to promotion in the 2021-22 season, chopped inside Omari Hutchinson and it was a damning indictment that it proved their sole effort on target. A few minutes later Igor Jesus sent a devilish cross towards the back post but an outstretched Morgan Gibbs-White, who Spurs attempted to sign in the summer, could not prod his effort on target. It was a counterattack that stemmed from Mohammed Kudus, not for the first time, running into a blind alley, leaving the visitors vulnerable after committing numbers.
Gibbs-White tried his luck with a back flick that, via Bentancur, deflected wide, though the referee Sam Barrott neglected to award a Forest corner. Gray was then booked for crunching Williams, but only because he was trying to make amends after Kudus was crowded out by red Forest shirts. Victor went down with a calf injury in the second half, perhaps because he was barely tested?
Spurs were stodgy and anaemic. It was a theme that continued into the second half and five minutes after the restart Vicario was fishing the ball out his net again. Hudson-Odoi roamed down the left flank and after checking inside Pedro Porro a second time and on to his right foot he sent a hanging cross towards the back post, presumably in search of Igor Jesus, who again impressed in attack for Forest. Vicario was seemingly caught in two minds but after straying a few yards from his goal, anticipating a routine collection, Hudson-Odoi’s cross spun over him and into the far corner of the Spurs net. Sangaré, however, saved the best until last, scissoring across the ball to rocket in a superb third.