Tottenham Hotspur

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BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty has been answering your questions.

Daz asked: What do you make of Tottenham's indifferent form? We can beat the likes of Manchester City and Aston Villa and yet lose poorly to Crystal Palace and Ipswich, plus the Brighton capitulation.

I hope Ange Postecoglou is successful but is he out of his depth in the Premier League, or is it a deeper issue at Spurs given we have also not achieved anything with the likes of Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte?

Phil answered: Where do you even start when trying to make sense of Spurs? So impressive in beating Manchester City and Aston Villa and yet so poor on so many other occasions, latterly losing at home to Ipswich Town, who had not won a Premier League game before Sunday.

I do not think Postecoglou is out of his depth in the Premier League but, as he readily acknowledged, there is a maddening inconsistency about Spurs that is his job to resolve.

It is also down to the players as well. If they reach certain standards they need to maintain them.

They cannot be perfect every week but, on the other hand, their attitude must be questioned if there can be such a remarkable drop-off from game to game.

The good Spurs could fulfil Postecoglou's claim that he always wins a trophy in his second season. The bad Spurs can, as we have seen, lose to anyone.

Postecoglou must come up with the answers or, as he again readily admits, he will take responsibility for it.

It is still early days, however. Remember Spurs are only three points behind Chelsea and Arsenal.

Ali Speechly
Fan writer

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Everyone loves a comeback.

There have been some iconic games that will live long in the memory for all the right reasons. That night in Amsterdam a few years ago springs to mind.

So yeah, everyone loves a thrilling, entertaining, nail-biting comeback. But as a Tottenham fan, I am getting tired of them - especially when a) they should not be necessary and b) we do not achieve them.

Both were true against Ipswich Town on Sunday.

Throughout any campaign, there will be games that require more effort than others. That is not disrespectful - that is just sport.

Securing three points at home against a team without a league win this season - indeed, a team without a win in this particular league since 2002 - should have been reasonably straightforward.

The Spurs that beat Manchester City in the cup, came from behind to beat Aston Villa in the league, and almost salvaged a point against Galatasaray in Europe last week. That Spurs should have secured a comfortable win against Ipswich, particularly given our home form this season.

However, you just never know which Tottenham is going to turn up at the moment – and it is a big concern. Inconsistency is very damaging to a team, not least because it is physically and mentally draining, and you lose any momentum you have built.

So, what is the problem? Is it the manager? Is it the players? Is it a mixture of the two? Whatever it is, it needs to be resolved.

For all of Ange Postecoglou's talk of projects and building things for the future, he must be aware that no-one can create anything meaningful with such a flaky foundation.

Time to create something more sustainable.

Find more from Ali Speechly at Women Of The Lane, external and on Instagram, external

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BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty has been answering your questions.

Anthony asked: How long do you see Ange Postecoglou surviving at Tottenham? Yet another rinse and repeat while the owners get away with it.

Phil answered: I certainly don't see any immediate threat to Ange Postecoglou's position at Spurs, although he has a serious problem to resolve with the rampant inconsistency that is plaguing them - overpowering a very good side in Aston Villa one week then losing tamely at home to struggling Ipswich Town the next.

He needs to somehow find an answer to that, as do his players. Let's not forget them - they are the ones who are outstanding one week then bang average the next.

As always, these things will eventually be judged on results.

Tottenham are set to rebuff Real Madrid's renewed interest in defender Cristian Romero. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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Tottenham captain Son Heung-min has apologised to Spurs supporters for Sunday's 2-1 home loss to Ipswich in the Premier League and said the players need to show "more discipline" to put together a consistent run of results.

"It was a very disappointing afternoon and result of course, but the performance - we have to be better," Son told SpursPlay.

"Before they scored two goals - or even the first goal - we had a couple of chances where we can score the goal and go ahead. We didn't and conceded two very silly goals, which is also very painful because of how much we work and how important it is inside the box to defend the goal at home.

"We didn't and we have to all take a big, big responsibility. I want to say sorry about the result."

In their previous two home games, Spurs knocked Manchester City out of the Carabao Cup and then came from a goal down to beat Aston Villa 4-1 in the Premier League.

"We could be a bright team, we could be a really strong team," Son added.

"Everyone saw it but those type of games [Manchester City and Aston Villa] you have to think about in a mentally very strong way. A team like Villa, you have to go really strong but the next game you play against Ipswich, they are the same opponent, the same competition.

"Everyone is expecting us to win this game but in football you never get a free win. You have to earn it. You have got to work hard and we have got to just believe more. And then we have to be more disciplined, that's for sure.

"Everyone has to be more disciplined. The structure and the plans - you have got to just follow it. This is the main part of where we can be even stronger. I hope we can be stronger when we come back from the international break."

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We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Tottenham and Ipswich.

Here are some of your comments:

Tottenham fans

Dan: Useless. Stubborn. Naive. Useless performance by a bunch of millionaires. Stubborn Ange is still thinking his one-dimensional play will reap rewards, when it was found out weeks ago. Diversity in gameplay keeps the opposition on their toes. It is naive to think that it's OK to sub in the last quarter of the game when 2-0 down. Losing at home to Ipswich? Embarrassing.

Silvia: To take the positives, I thought we played well and lost. We were poor in defence and we can't just give the ball away cheaply, but we did create chances and deserved a draw. Ipswich played very well and caused us problems. But we were our own worst enemy at times. Need to dust ourselves off and move forward.

Roy: I’ve had enough. Enough of the dreadful performances against bottom sides, lame excuses, not enough energy, will or drive. Bad, bad defending. Embarrassing at set pieces. Cristian Romero looks like he’d rather be anywhere but on the pitch. The ridiculous apologies afterwards from players and manager. Ange has had a long time and it ain’t working.

Ipswich fans

Chris: Finally, our performance has been rewarded with three points. Much better management of the game in injury time and Omari Hutchinson was outstanding. Hopefully this is the confidence booster needed to kickstart our campaign!

Jon: Fantastic result away from home, well done lads. Defended well as a team, ensuring Spurs had few clear cut chances in the second half. I think we still need to show a little more composure on the ball but overall a very satisfying result that will hopefully give the lads confidence going into the Christmas period.

Greg: I'm having a new roof on my house and the roofers had to work this weekend. Listened to the game in a hotel in Keswick where I'm staying for two nights to get away from the noise. If that's what it takes to get us a win, then it's going to be an expensive season!

Watch highlights and analysis from Sunday's four Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from the rest of the weekend.

If you missed Match of the Day 2, catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

And you can watch Saturday's Match of the Day here.

Listen back to the weekend's full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Man Utd 3-0 Leicester

• Nottingham Forest 1-3 Newcastle

• Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal

Tottenham centre-back Cristian Romero has been identified by Real Madrid as a potential reinforcement. (Caught Offside, external)

Meanwhile, Spurs are keen on a move for Argentine midfielder Facundo Buonanotte, 19, but will have to compete with Leicester City, where he is currently on loan from Brighton. (Fichajes - in Spanish, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

Ben Collins
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Reuters

Tottenham fell behind for the 13th time from 15 league games at home in 2024.

On eight previous occasions they fought back to win, but this time Spurs' luck ran out as they left themselves too much to do.

Spurs had the opportunity to go above local rivals Arsenal - before they faced Chelsea - and there was some boos from the home fans at half-time.

The team made a positive start to the second half but could not sustain it, although they might have salvaged something if they were more clinical in front of goal.

While manager Ange Postecoglou said the defeat was down to him rather than the players, he lamented Spurs' lack of consistency.

Their form cannot keep stuttering if they are to break back into the Premier League's top four or deliver some long-awaited silverware this season.

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Ange Postecoglou spoke to BBC Sport after Tottenham's defeat against Ipswich: "Hugely disappointing. We started slow and passively. We gave ourselves a mountain to climb. Second half we had chances but didn’t do enough to win the game.

"It's just down to me. I’m not getting consistent performances from the players. It’s something I need to address. I’m the person in charge so that’s usually the way it goes. I take responsibility.

"We can’t give ourselves those kind of mountains to climb."

On Ipswich players going down injured regularly: "It seems to be the way the Premier League is going. Clubs are taking strategic time-outs. We just have to cop it. It’s up to the officials not me."

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Guglielmo Vicario made his 25th home start for Tottenham Hotspur today in the Premier League. Across those 25 starts, Vicario has kept just three clean sheets, the joint-fewest by any Spurs keeper across their first 25 home starts in the competition, along with Ian Walker.

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Tottenham's performance, external

What did you make of Ipswich's display?, external

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

Four matches make up Sunday's Premier League action, and we will bring you every moment.

• Man Utd v Leicester (listen on BBC Radio 5 Live)

• Nottingham Forest v Newcastle (listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra)

• Tottenham v Ipswich (listen on BBC Sport website and app)

• Chelsea v Arsenal - 16:30 (listen on BBC Radio 5 Live)

Kick-off times 14:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against a variety of guests.

For week 11 he takes on Mylee and Tate from CBBC football drama Jamie Johnson FC (JJFC), which is set in the world of an elite academy at fictional Premier League club Hawx United.

Sutton's prediction: 3-1

I got a lot of stick for saying I supported Nottingham Forest last week - as well as a few of the clubs that I played for; Norwich, Blackburn and Celtic - and regular BBC Radio 5 live listeners will know that I have been accused of having Tottenham as another one of my teams.

They aren't, but I make no apologies for being a fan of Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou and his style of expansive football. At times it is crazy, with the risks they take, but I love watching it.

My Canaries connection means no-one is going to ever mistake me for an Ipswich fan, so this may shock a few people, but I felt sorry for them last week.

They have briefly come out of Norwich's shadow to reach the Premier League and are desperate for their first win of the season, but they were on the wrong end of a couple of shocking late decisions in their draw with Leicester.

They have the advantage of not having European football this week - they have not had to worry about that for more than 20 years - while Tottenham played Galatasaray in Turkey on Thursday.

I still think Spurs will win, though, and Ipswich will be back in the Championship with Norwich next season.

Mylee's prediction: I don’t think Ipswich will keep Tottenham out. 3-1.

Tate's prediction: As an Arsenal fan, I know what I want to happen! I didn’t want to put Tottenham winning, so I have gone for a draw. 0-0.

Read the rest of their predictions and have your own say here

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

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It would be dangerous to write Arsenal off yet, even if Liverpool now have a semi-comfortable seven-point cushion.

‌There is however pressure everywhere on Mikel Arteta with Manchester City also five points clear of them without even playing that well. It will hurt Gunners fans that those upstarts from Stamford Bridge have the gall to be above them currently but worst of all is the fact that their mortal enemies Spurs are coming up fast on the rails.

‌I did not meet one single person who backed Spurs to be above Arsenal in the Premier League this season, but if things continue as they are just now it is a distinct possibility.

What’s more, Ange-ball is tastier than the thin gruel currently being served up by Arteta’s team.

I think finishing below Spurs might actually hurt more than missing out on the top-four finish that they have taken for granted up until now.

‌If that doesn’t get Arsenal fighting, nothing will.

‌Sign up to read more from Pat Nevin in his Football Extra newsletter

Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Ipswich Town (kick-off 14:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• He started by joking that he is on his third coffee of the morning after a quick turnaround from the European fixture in Turkey.

• The team "came through unscathed" so there are no new injury concerns.

• Cristian Romero has a chance of being available but Micky van de Ven and Timo Werner will not return until after the international break.

• On Richarlison: "We are very disappointed. We were doing everything right, trying not to overload him but unfortunately he broke down again. He's disappointed."

• He said "we can't afford any more injuries" among his forwards, so they are managing captain Son Heung-min's minutes. Postecoglou added: "He obviously had the injury and we brought him back and he had a relapse. We don't want to put him in that position. We’re building him up and managing his minutes."

• On opponents Ipswich: "Every weekend and every league game has its potential to hurt you if you're not at your best. Ipswich will be no different. I think Kieran McKenna has done an unbelievable job."

• He said "it would be fair to say that, apart from Liverpool, no-one has hit consistency" in the Premier League so far and that is down to "significant injuries" at some of the top clubs.

• On Spurs' top-four ambitions: "We have to just keep progressing in the way we have been. In the large part, our football has been consistent and pretty good."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Listen to Tottenham v Ipswich on the BBC Sport website and app on Sunday

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Ipswich have won their past three Premier League games against Spurs, completing the double over them the last time they met in 2001-02. They have never won four consecutive league games against them.

However, Ipswich remain winless in their 10 Premier League games this season (drawn five and lost five), their longest run without a win from the start of a top-flight season.

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We asked for your views on Tottenham's Europa League defeat against Galatasaray.

Here are some of your comments:

Paul: I struggle to understand why Ange Postecoglou put a weakened team out to face one of the top sides in Europe and especially in Istanbul? If we are going to qualify and stand a chance of winning the competition then we have to have our strongest team out. I cannot understand why Dejan Kulusevski, Dominic Solanke, Rodrigo Bentancaur and Destiny Udogie were on the bench. Pure disbelief.

Laurence: Some abject performances. Radu Dragusin shocking. Lucas Bergvall and Will Lankshear not ready for this level. Some terrible passing from many of the senior players. Jekyll and Hyde again.

Richard: We could afford to lose and, while losing is never great, we gain some valuable experience for a young team at a difficult place to visit. Hopefully they’ll learn not to give the ball away so much. But on target to qualify, no complaints. In Ange we trust. COYS.

Kb: Men against boys unfortunately. A good lesson for the youngsters, though I expected a bit more energy and fight from them. Again, a mix of tactical naivety and poor execution let us down. If they had been more compact to start, they could gone into final 20 minutes with hope as the opposition noticeably tired. The manager needs to learn!

Dave: Tough fixture, but we were masters of our own downfall due to Ange's insistence on playing out from the back no matter what. We could not cope with their intense high press and lost possession constantly. Why not play a ball over the top sometimes with the pace we have and our new target man? We are a one-trick pony. Learn a lesson Ange.

AC Milan are ready to double the wages of Netherlands midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, 26, to ward off interest from Tottenham and Manchester City. (Calciomercato - in Italian), external

Meanwhile, Spurs defender Cristian Romero could seek a move to Real Madrid this summer if the La Liga club increase their interest in the 26-year-old Argentina international. (GiveMeSport - subscription required), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column