A chorus of boos echoed around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at full time on Saturday. Those that remained voiced their discontent as Tottenham put in a shocking display against Manchester United, losing 3-0. Spurs failed to have a shot on target against a side that, a week earlier, had shipped five at home against rivals Liverpool. At that stage, the writing was on the wall for Nuno Espirito Santo.
The Portuguese boss wasn't a popular appointment in the first place, with both the fanbase and the club it seemed. Nuno wasn't first, second or even third choice for Spurs, rather taking over the reins after Spurs failed to convince the likes of Antonio Conte, Erik ten Hag and Graham Potter to succeed Jose Mourinho. He was even dubbed Mourinho but without the CV and charisma.
Yet Spurs made a bright start to life under Nuno. They won their opening three league games of the season, beating Manchester City, Wolves and Watford 1-0 in August as Nuno was named manager of the month. However, the wins papered over the cracks. Spurs reverted to type in heavy defeats to Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Arsenal, conceding nine times in those three games the following month as the north London side began to fall down the table.
Nuno looked out of his depth at the club and the stats justify the decision to relieve him of his duties on Monday. Saturday's defeat marked just the second time in the last 10 years that Spurs have failed to have a shot on target in a home league match, last doing so in December 2013 in a 5-0 defeat to Liverpool. Andre Villas Boas was handed his marching orders the following day.
It wasn't a surprise to see Spurs fail to test David De Gea on Saturday. No team is averaging fewer shots per game than Spurs (10.3) in the Premier League this season, while four shots on target per game ranks lower than 17th-placed Leeds (4.1). Only bottom of the table Norwich (6.7) are creating fewer goalscoring chances per game than Spurs (7.1). There was no clear attacking system in place, noted in that goalkeeper Hugo Lloris is one of nine Spurs players to create a clear-cut goalscoring opportunity in the Premier League this season. Attackers Dele Alli and Son Heung-Min have both failed to do so.
That Spurs have had just 203 touches inside the opposition box, the seventh fewest, is a poor return considering the attacking quality on offer. There was also the lack of midfield dominance on show in games this season, notably the 3-1 loss to Arsenal. Nine minutes in and there was a screengrab of where at least one Spurs midfielder should be in shot. Instead there was a gaping hole with four Arsenal players visible.
There was a lack of tactical cohesion that resulted in a slump down the table with Spurs now eighth in the Premier League and the third worst goal difference (-7) in the division. Spurs' appointment of Nuno was a match-made out of desperation let alone convenience as the club sought to end their miserable 72-day search for a new head coach, and that really showed against Manchester United on Saturday. Chairman Daniel Levy needs to get the next appointment, reportedly Antonio Conte, right if Spurs are to rescue this season because he really messed up with Nuno.
