Another Day, Another Defensive Slip-Up: Isak Haunts Spurs as Newcastle Snatch Victory

Well, we had hopes. Briefly.

When Pedro Porro’s pinpoint delivery found Dominic Solanke in the third minute, and the ball nestled into the net, it felt like maybe – just maybe – we’d turned a corner. Spurs, back to scoring early, dominating, looking composed. You could almost hear the collective sigh of relief around Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

But of course, in the truest Spurs fashion, the joy barely lasted longer than it took for a half-time pint queue to form. Two minutes later, Anthony Gordon decided he’d rather spoil the party, curling one past Brandon Austin into the far corner. Austin, making his Premier League debut thanks to Fraser Forster being out ill, could only watch as Gordon’s shot zipped past him. To be fair, Thomas Tuchel, oddly enough watching from the stands, probably looked equally stunned.

Ah yes, the handball drama. Because no Spurs match would be complete without a bit of VAR-induced rage. Joelinton seemed to use a bit more than just his chest to control the ball in the build-up to Gordon’s equaliser. But after much deliberation – and by that, I mean a suspiciously quick glance – the officials decided it was all “accidental.” Apparently, the laws of physics are different when Spurs are involved.

Then came Alexander Isak. Of course it did. The man seems to treat playing against Spurs as his personal highlight reel. After scuffing one earlier in the half, he made no mistake the second time around. Jacob Murphy’s cross pinballed off Radu Dragusin and fell kindly for Isak, who slotted it home with the calmness of someone scoring their sixth goal against us. Yes, six. The Swede’s fast becoming our personal tormentor, joining the ranks of Drogba, Aguero, and other historical nuisances.

By half-time, it was 2-1. And you just knew how it was going to end.

A Bit of Fight, but No Finish

To be fair, there was an attempt at a second-half revival. Brennan Johnson, who was lively throughout, rattled the woodwork from a ludicrously tight angle after Martin Dubravka parried Pape Matar Sarr’s effort. James Maddison, back from injury, curled one just past the far post. Sergio Reguilón had a go too, but as the minutes ticked away, it felt more and more inevitable – another frustrating afternoon where the effort was there, but the quality? Not quite.

It’s not as if we were torn apart after the break, but Newcastle were hardly under siege either. Eddie Howe’s side, in their annoyingly efficient form, shifted gears into defensive mode – a bit like they did against Manchester United earlier in the week. Solid. Organised. Professional. Basically the opposite of how we’ve defended lately.

Defensive Fragility Continues

And that, my fellow Spurs faithful, is the painful truth. We’re still looking wobbly at the back – no clean sheet in 10 straight Premier League games now. When we score, we concede. When we don’t score, we still concede. It’s become a pattern so predictable you could set your watch by it.

This wasn’t helped by Postecoglou’s experimental lineup. He fielded the youngest Spurs XI in a Premier League match since 2015. No Son Heung-min, rested ahead of a packed January schedule. Austin making his league debut between the sticks. Radu Dragusin getting his first proper taste of a full 90 minutes. Bold? Certainly. Effective? Not so much.

Now, we’ve lost five of our last six home league matches. That stat alone feels painfully reminiscent of some of the darker days under Nuno Espírito Santo or, dare I mention, Juande Ramos.

Credit to Newcastle (As Painful as It Is)

To be fair (begrudgingly), Newcastle were excellent. This wasn’t a smash-and-grab – they were clinical and composed. Six straight wins in all competitions. Eighteen goals scored. Only two conceded.

Alexander Isak, with his 13th league goal of the season, has been on fire. In fact, he’s the first Newcastle player since Alan Shearer to score in seven consecutive Premier League games. Fantastic for them. Incredibly annoying for us.

Their defence deserves praise too, with Sven Botman, back from injury, putting in a commanding shift before being subbed off late on. They’ve hit form just as we’ve hit… whatever the opposite of form is.

Where Do We Go from Here?

Now, we have a January run-in that feels pivotal for our season. Up next? Liverpool in the Carabao Cup semi-finals. Oh, and Tamworth in the FA Cup third round – because if there’s one thing more terrifying than playing a top side, it’s a non-league team with nothing to lose.

But let’s be honest – the looming North London Derby against Arsenal on 15 January is the one haunting the calendar. If we’re this leaky at the back, Gabriel Jesus and Saka might be licking their lips already.

Ange has some serious work to do. The promise of a fresh, attacking style under Postecoglou remains, but the defensive fragility and lack of ruthlessness are starting to bite. The magic’s there – but can we stop making it so easy for teams to score against us?

Because honestly, if Isak scores against us again next season, I might need a lie down.