Tottenham lost 1-4 to Arsenal, xG hit rock bottom after Chelsea match.
Spurs had a 0.07 xG against Arsenal, following a 0.12 record against Chelsea — both the lowest of the season. Three shots, four touches in the box, and 52 final passes exposed the passivity under Thomas Frank.
Just 22 days after their 0.12 xG loss to Chelsea, Tottenham plummeted to a further low of 0.07 xG in their 1-4 North London derby defeat to Arsenal. According to Sky Sports, these are the two lowest xG figures for any team in the Premier League this season, exposing a passive and uninspired Spurs side under Thomas Frank.
The events and the chilling numbers.
Against Arsenal, Tottenham only managed 3 shots, had 4 touches in the penalty area, and completed 52 passes in the final third. With such limited attacking output, they posed virtually no threat to the opponent's goal. Arsenal would have kept a clean sheet if it weren't for Richarlison's excellent strike from midfield.
Tactical perspective: When the objective is simply to prevent
What unfolded was consistent with the assessment that Tottenham prioritized preventing the opponent from scoring rather than finding ways to score. Their passive approach meant the team had almost no effective options in the penalty area, evidenced by the few touches in the 16-yard box and the limited number of passes in the final third that failed to make a difference.
With a defensively-oriented lineup, Spurs failed to create quality attacking opportunities, resulting in a drastic drop in xG (xilcharge). Without a concrete plan to break through defenses, attacks were thwarted early, and quality shots were virtually nonexistent.
The two matches with the lowest xG in the Premier League this season.
| Match | xG |
|---|---|
| Tottenham vs Chelsea | 0.12 |
| Tottenham vs Arsenal | 0.07 |
Source: Sky Sports
North London derby statistics
| Index | Value |
|---|---|
| Number of shots | 3 |
| Touching the ball inside the penalty area. | 4 |
| A pass in the final third of the field. | 52 |
Reactions from former football legends
Former striker Les Ferdinand called Tottenham's performance "shameful," emphasizing that the derby spirit was not adequately displayed by the team.
“Tottenham were unbelievably bad. It was a shame to watch. You can’t go to Arsenal’s stadium for a derby and play so timidly. The manager was tactically wrong. They came here just to defend and that demoralized the whole team.”
Jamie Carragher sees a serious tactical problem under Thomas Frank: Spurs are too focused on disrupting the opponent's play, neglecting the goal of scoring. He said:
“You can defend well, but a big team has to know how to score. Tottenham were too passive. From the very first minutes, you asked yourself: what can they do to hurt Arsenal? If you only try to disrupt the opponent's play without an attacking strategy, you won't last long.”
Impact: A wake-up call for gameplay.
Sky Sports highlights that Tottenham currently hold the two lowest xG (xperture gain) records in the Premier League this season, both within three weeks. This is no longer just a temporary dip in form, but a sign of a deadlock in ball distribution and attacking the penalty area. Without improving their proactive mindset and ability to create chances, Spurs could very well continue to sink deeper into this slump.
