Postecoglou decisions leave Spurs with an unwanted question to answer
Liverpool were confirmed as league champions for a 20th time after thrashing sorry Tottenham Hotspur 5-1 at Anfield.
Needing just a point to wrap up the title, Arne Slot’s side never looked back after Luiz Diaz quickly cancelled out Dominic Solanke’s surprise opener against his former club.
Alexis Mac Allister put Liverpool in front with the pick of the goals and Cody Gakpo added a third before the interval.
In the second half, Mohamed Salah scored his 27th top-flight goal to cap a devastating counter-attack and Destiny Udogie turned into his own net to complete the scoring.
Here are three Spurs talking points from an historic day at Anfield…
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Spurs capitulate to set up a Liverpool procession
Aside from the three relegated clubs, Liverpool could not have picked a better guest for their coronation party than this abject Tottenham side.
It would be churlish to attritube Liverpool’s thumping victory on the failings of Ange Postecoglou’s side because the Reds are plainly a magnificent team and worthy champions. But, my goodness, Spurs made it easy for them.
The visitors were sloppy and disorganised again, particularly out of possession, and undone by a series of familiar mistakes, as well as some outstanding football from the hosts.
Postecoglou made eight changes ahead of Thursday’s Europa League semi-final first leg against Bodo/Glimt and Spurs’ first XI would surely have been better able to compete.
But as it was, they capitulated, just as they have done in more or less every league game since mid-Februry, barring meetings with the bottom three.
Solanke’s early header briefly raised Spurs’ hopes they could spoil the occasion but they were extinguished within four minutes by Diaz’s slick opener – a measure both of Liverpool’s brilliance and the brittleness of the visitors.
Once Mac Allister put Liverpool in front, there seemed little doubt that they would clinch a historic title and the only question for Spurs was whether they could avoid injuries and embarrassment.
While they appeared to come through unscathed, this was another chastening league defeat – their 19th of a wretched campaign – and the latest demonstration that the gulf between them and the league’s best has dramatically widened this term.
Spurs, of course, may still finish the season with glory if they win the Europa League and, strange as it may seem, a first trophy in 17 years seems about as likely as Postecoglou’s side picking up another win in their remaining four top-flight matches.
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Ange Postecoglou must now lift the mood
The question for Spurs is now whether they can rouse themselves and raise their levels for another Europa League game.
Postecoglou’s side will be bolstered by the returns of Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Rodrigo Bentancur and possibly Heung-min Son – who sat out again with a foot injury.
Their display in the decider against Eintracht Frankfurt suggests Spurs can turn it out for one-off European matches, and are a far more competitive side with their best players.
Bodo/Glimt are a force on their plastic pitch in the Arctic Circle, so Spurs will want to travel to Norway on Thursday week with a healthy lead.
But a humbling at Anfield was grim preparation for their biggest game of the season, leaving Postecoglou needing to lift his players and the mood in the coming days.
Archie Gray’s rough afternoon
In spite of such a horrendous league season, it is still possible to be optimistic about Spurs’ future – largely because they have so many talented young players, not least Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall, who lined up together in midfield for the first time.
Many Spurs fans regard the pair as the club’s future in the middle of the park but, while Bergvall did well enough, this was a rough assignment for Gray, 18, on only his second start at this level in his preferred position.
The England Under-21 international was caught flat-footed for Liverpool’s first goal, with Dominik Szoboszlai darting beyond him to square for Diaz, and had to be stronger for their second. He was easily shrugged off by Ryan Gravenberch before Mac Allister’s brilliant hit.
It was no surprise when Gray was hooked at the interval and you wondered at Postecoglou’s decision to throw him in at the deep end for this game, in front of a much-changed back four. That said, at this stage of Gray’s career, these experiences should be a benefit, provided he reacts in the right way.
