From manager of the month to 3 consecutive Premier League defeats: Nuno Espirito Santo under pressure at Spurs

Less than one month ago, Nuno Espirito Santo was named the Premier League manager of the month for August after making the perfect start to life at Tottenham Hotspur. Fast forward to now, and Nuno’s job is under serious pressure after a devastating month that has seen them lose all 3 of their league matches by an aggregate scoreline of 9-1.

The run of three defeats in as many matches has seen Spurs fall from 1st in the standings to 11th in less than a month, dropping below their arch-rivals Arsenal, who inflicted their most recent defeat, to add further salt to the wounds.

The run ensures that Spurs have scored just 4 goals in the league this season - the joint third fewest of any team in the Premier League - and have conceded 9, more than any team above them in the table. Questions are inevitably being asked of Nuno, who has failed to get his team playing the type of football Tottenham fans have been demanding.

Further fuel was added to the fire when compatriot Paulo Fonseca, who was widely seen as an ideal candidate to take the Spurs hotseat, revealed that Tottenham Hotspur opted against hiring him as successor to Jose Mourinho due to concern about his trademark attacking style of football. Fonseca said that the desire of Tottenham at the time was “to build a team who can play attractive and offensive football - and I was ready for that.”

However, a change in managing director with the arrival of Paratici came with a change in philosophy, the Italian hoping for a more conservative style of play than that which Fonseca would offer. Fonseca himself stated that he would not be comfortable with such an approach, saying “Against the biggest teams, I'm not sending out my teams to defend near their own box”.

Such a decision by the club will run in complete constrast to the hopes and aspirations of Tottenham supporters, who throughout Jose Mourinho’s reign at the club were calling for the return of more attacking, progressive, entertaining football - and expected to see a substantial change in style to conform to the perceived ‘Tottenham way” following Mourinho’s departure just a week before the 2021 League Cup final.

Under Nuno, they have so far failed to see the evolution in approach that they were hoping for, and many will be wondering if they ever will under the former Porto and Wolves manager, who built a reputation for getting his side to play in a more pragmatic, counter-attacking way while at the helm of Wolves. Some are already beginning to think that a change in manager is necessary to trigger an upturn in fortunes.

It is by no means impossible for Nuno to turn things around at Spurs though, such is the speed at which things can change in football. But he faces a major uphill task to get Tottenham supporters back on side.

Earning the support of fans takes time, much more so than the speed at which that support can evaporate. After a solid first month at the club which included three 1-0 league victories and a manager of the month award, Nuno was just beginning to convert some Spurs doubters.

Now, however, the tide has turned. Losing by three goals to three London rivals will inevitably have that effect, and it’ll likely take months for Tottenham fans to reclaim their faith in Nuno, even if he does manage to get Spurs back on track.

Spurs have two manageable matches on the horizon, hosting Aston Villa before heading to Newcastle United.