Dejan Kulusevski has admitted that Tottenham was “too open” against Wolves and has maintained that they need to put in more effort to resume their top-four challenge.
Kulusevski: Spurs Paid for Openness, Calls for Top-Four Fight
Dejan Kulusevski didn’t sugarcoat Tottenham’s disappointing 2-1 loss to Wolves, acknowledging the team’s “too open” approach and lack of discipline. He emphasized the need for increased effort to recapture their top-four hopes.
“It’s a tough one to swallow,” Kulusevski stated. “We created chances, but couldn’t convert them. Then, we lacked discipline when we lost the ball.”
He pinpointed Wolves’ counter-attacks as the decisive factor: “Three times they found us open, punished us, and made it difficult to recover.”
Taking responsibility, Kulusevski admitted, “We had too many players high up the pitch, leaving ourselves exposed. We didn’t track back aggressively enough, and they exploited that.”
Looking ahead, the Swedish winger stressed the importance of hard work: “We need to improve our focus and defensive awareness. We have to fight harder and smarter to get back on track.”
The loss to Wolves dropped Tottenham out of the top four, with Aston Villa taking their place. Manchester United also loom close, making the upcoming matches crucial for Spurs’ Champions League aspirations.
Kulusevski’s message highlights the team’s awareness of their shortcomings and their determination to bounce back. Whether they can translate words into action will be vital in their quest for a top-four finish.
Leaky Spurs Look to Plug Holes During Mid-Season Break
Tottenham’s leaky defense, with only five clean sheets all season, has been further hampered by injuries to key central defenders Romero and van de Ven. Against Wolves, the absence of speedy full-backs Porro and Udogie also stifled creativity.
Manager Postecoglou and winger Kulusevski both agree: hard work is needed to recapture the free-flowing football of the season’s start.
“We’re not playing well enough, especially in the first half,” Kulusevksi admitted. “We lose too many balls, and we need to improve.”
With a two-week break before Crystal Palace’s visit, the task is clear: practice and get better. “We found some solutions (against Wolves), so we just need to refine them in training,” Kulusevski added.
Despite the long break, the Swede sees it as an opportunity: “We’re footballers, we want to play, but this gives us time to train and improve. We have to view it positively.”
Can Spurs plug the defensive holes and rediscover their attacking flair during this pause? Their Champions League hopes depend on it.