Tottenham Hotspur

Phil McNulty
Chief football writer

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If Igor Tudor believed his brief losing reign could not get any worse after the home defeat by Crystal Palace, he reckoned without one of the most humiliating nights in Spurs' recent history.

The Croatian was bold with his team selection, especially dropping regular first choice Guglielmo Vicario for young deputy Antonin Kinsky.

To say it was a move that back-fired is a masterpiece of under-statement as Kinsky suffered the sort of personal nightmare that will take huge strength of character to recover from.

Even the hearts of Atletico's passionate, partisan support went out to Kinsky as his number came up following his errors, with team-mates also moving to offer words of comfort as he went off.

Tudor was in optimistic mood before the game, but that all changed inside 23 madcap minutes as Spurs slipped – literally – from one costly error to another, effectively ending this contest and, in all likelihood, the tie.

Spurs actually created chances of their own as Atletico stepped off the gas, but the damage was already done.

And it may be permanent damage for the beleaguered Tudor, who arrived as an emergency measure with a reputation for having an instant impact in his chequered coaching career.

Instead, things have arguably got worse and now, with a testing trip to Liverpool on Sunday and Spurs just one point off the Premier League relegation places, the club's hierarchy look like they will soon face another decision of huge significance in a bid to somehow rescue a season in freefall.

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Kevin Danso to TNT Sports after Tottenham's defeat against Atletico Madrid: "Anyone who watched the game they will have seen three unlucky moments, three slips that gave them goals. We all know what kind of team Atletico are, they defended very well and after that it was very difficult to get into the game.

On keeping spirits high: "It's difficult but that is what he have to do. This is the moment to show what type of team we are. This has to make us, not break us. These are the moments everyone has to stand up and show their character. We can't just talk and say it's going to get better, it's time everyone looked at themselves in the mirror and give more.

"It starts with working, getting our heads down and working on the pitch. We still managed to score two goals, created some chances.

"At home we need to show an abundance of character , take the game to them and turn it around."

Archie Gray said: "It's obviously a disappointing result. We didn't help ourselves with the best start. It was difficult to come back into the game after that. We have to focus on the next game and the second leg after that.

"It's difficult, mistakes happen, it's part of football. Tony [Kinsky] is young. I have made mistakes, everyone has, especially when you are younger. When it costs goals it is disappointing. But he is strong mentally so he will get through this, he'll be alright.

"We have got to take responsibility, what's happened this game and in the Premier League. In quite a lot of games this season it's been unacceptable. We have to take responsibility and push on."

Igor Tudor spoke to TNT Sports after Tottenham's defeat against Atletico Madrid, and was asked if starting Antonin Kinsky was a mistake: "No, after you see what happened, it's the wrong decision. But it was the right decision before.

"A change of competition, it was the right moment. Unfortunately, what happened, happened. I never changed a goalkeeper after 20 minutes."

On if he has spoken to Kinsky: "We don't need to comment. It's not the moment to speak too much. It was a strange game, very strange game. We gave them three goals. We even started good then the problems kill us in three situations.

"Very, very strange. Very unusual. It took our confidence. We had an opportunity to make it 4-2 then we concede a goal for 5-1.

"We apologise to the fans and to everyone. It's a difficult moment. Everything looks like going wrong. Small mistakes, we pay. Everything, unbelievable.

"Even this situation at the end, two players [colliding]. It felt like everything was going against us."

On why things aren't working: "I need to keep working. Not speaking too much, stay focused on the things we can do. It's unbelievably difficult to explain all these things, the first time in my career that I saw these things, 15 years.

"I'm focused on the problems, the players also. We need to stay positive."

On if he thinks board will stick with him: "It's not about me. We need to stay calm. Less talking.

"Better less talking. Now is not the moment to try and give a big explanation."

Former Spurs goalkeeper and TNT Sports commentator Joe Hart, at the time of Kinsky's substitution: "I've been trying to make sense of it . My heart is absolutely broken for him. He had a horrible 14 minutes, that slip and the third goal. I don't know what to say. I am just heartbroken for the lad."

Did you know?

Tottenham Hotspur have lost six consecutive matches in all competitions for the first time in their history.

Igor Tudor has become the first manager to lose each of his first four games in charge of Tottenham in all competitions.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

What did you make of Tottenham's display?

Come back on Wednesday for a selection of your replies

Igor Tudor insisted Premier League survival remains his priority despite the lure of this last 16 Champions League tie here against Atletico Madrid - and that may just be reflected in his starting line-up.

Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is dropped in favour of Antonin Kinsky, one of four changes from the side beaten at home by Crystal Palace.

Captain Cristian Romero returns after suspension, while Joao Palhinha and Dominic Solanke are on the bench. Souza misses out while Conor Gallagher is on the bench against his former club. Richarlison and Djed Spence start.

Tottenham XI: Kinsky, Van de Ven, Danso, Romero, Spence, Gray, Sarr, Porro, Tel, Richarlison, Kolo Muani.

Subs: Vicario, Dragusin, Palhinha, Simons, Solanke, Gallagher, Austin, Olusesi, Rowswell.

Alexander Sorloth leads the way for Atletico Madrid with 16 goals in all competitions this season, but the Norway striker starts on the bench.

Atletico Madrid XI: Oblak, Ruggeri, Hancko, Le Normand, Pubill, Lookman, Cardoso, Llorente, Simeone, Griezmann, Alvarez.

Subs: Musso, Gimenez, Koke, Barrios, Sorloth, Baena, Almada, Lenglet, Molina, Vargas, Gonzalez, Diaz.

There are four games in the Champions League on Tuesday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Galatasaray v Liverpool (17:45) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Atalanta v Bayern Munich

• Atletico Madrid v Tottenham

• Newcastle v Barcelona - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 20:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to 5 Live commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Newcastle v Barcelona" for instance.

Find out more about how to listen to football on BBC Sounds

Watch highlights of every Champions League game from 22:00 on Wednesday on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.

There will also be a Champions League Match of the Day on BBC One on Wednesday, from 22:40 to 00:00.

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Ex-Spurs defender Sebastien Bassong is hopeful the Champions League campaign will boost Tottenham's quest to survive this season.

Igor Tudor's side are in Spain tonight for the first leg of their last-16 tie with Atletico Madrid and have been impressive in Europe, in contrast to their domestic struggles.

"The good thing with football is that the next game is always coming round really quickly," Bassong said on BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast.

"The Champions League game is an opportunity for Tudor to galvanise his players and get them together in order to apply to the Premier League.

"They need to create some momentum if they are going to stay safe."

Bassong refused to blame injuries for Tottenham's troubles this season, instead suggesting their position in the table is down to a lot of "mistakes" at all levels.

"It is a collective - you can't put it down to one entity," he said. "However, they still have an opportunity to get out of trouble.

"That's what I am expecting from a big, talented group of players."

Listen from 01'28'00

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Former Newcastle captain Alan Shearer was talking to BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast about Tuesday's Champions League game between Atletico Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur (20:00 GMT).

"Spurs need to pick up some belief from somewhere because they've been awful all season, are in a terrible position and a realistic chance of being relegated and offered very little encouragement to think they can stay in the Premier League," he said.

"Away from the competition of the Premier League, they finished fourth in the league [Champions League league phase] which is a remarkable achievement in itself considering the way they have been playing.

"They might just take a little bit of comfort in being away from home and picking up that little bit of belief or confidence because their game against Atletico and their game against Liverpool at the weekend both away obviously.

"They're huge game for Tottenham and their fans.

"With that stadium and with the infrastructure, the training ground and everything else, it would be unbelievable if Spurs were to be relegated."

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Former Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp says a result against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday night "would be great" but insists the priority for Spurs has to be Premier League survival.

A run of 11 games without a win - and five straight defeats - has left Tottenham one point above the bottom three, with nine games to go.

"It is unbelievable they are in this position again with the squad they've got, the best training ground and best stadium in the country," he told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast.

"Unfortunately, the players haven't performed and they need to stand up and be counted. Spurs are in a dogfight.

"The ambition for this season has to be to stay in the Premier League."

New boss Igor Tudor has been unable to reverse the direction of travel but Redknapp does not believe he is to blame for their woes.

"It's very difficult - the team is struggling and no-one has a magic wand," he said. "Whatever is going on has been happening for the past 40 games. He can't just walk in and sprinkle star dust."

So will Redknapp be ready to step into the dugout if required?

"I won't - I don't expect to get a call," he added. "My focus this week is enjoying myself at Cheltenham!"

Listen to the full chat from 02'53'00 on BBC Sounds

Juventus are interested in signing Tottenham and England full-back Djed Spence, 25, in the summer. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian), external

Former Tottenham midfielder Ryan Mason is a leading candidate to replace Igor Tudor as interim boss at Spurs. (Football Insider), external

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

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Tottenham boss Igor Tudor has been speaking to the media before Tuesday's Champions League last-16 first leg against Atletico Madrid at Riyadh Air Metropolitano (kick-off 20:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Tudor confirmed both Djed Spence and Cristian Romero are available to face Atletico Madrid, while Yves Bissouma and Souza will be unavailable, as the Spurs boss emphasised the importance of players beginning to come back. He also confirmed Richarlison will start.

• He added: "For the first time that I'm here, we will have, let's say, available players to play in the defensive side that are the players we usually play. So all three games happen that we miss the players in their positions, and we miss the players who are usually playing. So a beautiful game to play tomorrow, a totally different competition than the Premier League."

• On being able to select captain Romero: "Yes, he has missed it a lot. He was also not feeling good to not be in, with the circumstances to help the team. So now he's back, we was working these two, three weeks a lot. Even with the fitness coach he did a separate running session to be in better shape now that he's back. We are happy. I'm sure that tomorrow he'll be a leader like he's always been and that we'll make together a good game."

• Tudor said the "more the time is passing", he is seeing "more quality in everything", adding: "Lots of habits sometimes need more time than you expected to change. This is also very interesting and this is the thing we are speaking with the staff every day, how fast we can make changes."

• On the importance of these games against Atletico: "Every game is important. As I said, always after the game we need to be focused on us, to grow. It can be an opportunity. Totally different mentality can be used in this kind of game, so maybe this can help us, seeing which problems we have. I believe that these kind of games can help us to switch the right way."

• On whether they can try something new that could help their form for the rest of the season: "We need to do our best in terms of we need to grow. Because our first aim is the Premier League - this is something that needs to be said publicly, it's a normal thing - this is something extra, but that doesn't mean we don't want to pass and don't want to go to the next round."

Listen to full commentary of Atletico Madrid v Tottenham on Tuesday from 20:00 GMT on BBC Sounds

Got a question about Spurs? Get in touch here and we'll put it to our experts

Ali Speechly
Fan writer

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Last week Tottenham Hotspur seemed to secure its position as football's favourite punchline. The increasingly real possibility of relegation is no laughing matter for the club now.

While the rest of the football community giggles at our expense, it feels like some of our players are already admitting defeat.

It has been a miserable season for Spurs fans, and I completely empathise with the thousands who left the stadium early during our defeat to Crystal Palace.

I stayed until the bitter end, but not to claim any moral high ground. So numbed was I by the total capitulation I had witnessed from our team, that I simply couldn't muster the energy to move.

It is one thing for fans to make an early exit, but quite another for players to do so – and yet this is how it feels some of our team is behaving at the moment, particularly the more experienced individuals who should be leading, not leaving.

Where is the fight? Where is the desire? Where is the humility?

We all know the rot at Tottenham is much deeper than the players on the pitch, and that the signs of decay have been visible for years.

However, all that matters now is the next game. And the next one. And so on until we secure our Premier League survival.

The players on the pitch must win those games, or at the very least, they must try.

Even if some of the squad has mentally checked out – unbothered by the badge us fans love so dearly, and instead dreaming about their next club – they should still be playing for their own professional integrity.

If it does not come naturally, then the head coach must instil this fight into their players.

Which brings us to Igor Tudor, who is somehow still in charge, discussing players who can and can't stay on his boat.

At this point, the jokes write themselves.

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

This is your Tottenham page. Bookmark it and come back each day for gossip, news, stats, analysis and fan comment.

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Djed Spence and Radu Dragusin participated in an opening training session on Monday.

The defenders both missed Tottenham's 3-1 home defeat by Crystal Palace.

New manager Igor Tudor's suitability for the role has been called into question as the Croat has lost all three games in charge so far.

On Tuesday, Spurs play the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie away at Atletico Madrid.

Without an abundance of options at left back, Tudor will welcome the return of Spence to training after the England international missed four of the past six games with calf issues.

Wayne Rooney has been speaking about Tottenham's relegation battle on his podcast, The Wayne Rooney Show.

"The lack of spirit and fighting and heart and belief in that team is incredible," he said.

"You can see it a mile off and the players don't seem to be responding to what [Igor Tudor] wants from them.

"Surely some players in there have got to show some pride and take responsibility and fall out with team-mates, fall out with the manager if that's what it is, but show some fight at least.

"I like Tottenham, I respect Tottenham and I hope they don't go down, but at the minute it's slowly looking more likely they might do."

Watch The Wayne Rooney Show on BBC iPlayer or listen on BBC Sounds

With Tottenham getting dragged ever closer to a relegation scrap, we provided you with a possible team that could line up in the Championship next season (above) and we wanted your views on who could be around for Spurs next campaign if they succumbed to the drop.

Here are some of your comments:

Stan: The team you have outlined looks pretty good to me... At least they will be playing for the shirt! Add to that Donley, Lankshear, Yang, Byfield, Melia on the bench and things are looking hopeful.

Steve: We need to stop talking relegation into reality. We need to do what the Everton fans did. Support our team, make it a place to support the players and intimidate the opposition. Protest at end of season when things can change. We need to get points.

James: Romero, Van de Ven, and Vicario will definitely be off. I'd hope Gallagher would stay as he just got here, but understand he's wanting a higher level. Probably the same for Simons, although a campaign in the Championship would do wonders toughening him up. I doubt we'd sign Kolo Muani, although I'd still get Palhinha in if we could. Can see the likes of Porro, Richarlison, Bissouma and maybe Udogie going, but hope we could keep Kulusevski and Solanke, as I think they could be a great goalscoring combination, and Archie Gray must stay - just give him the captaincy. Hopefully we can give the youth some chances, build a team with a few wise heads and then a lot youth. Most importantly, we need a coach with flexibility and a vision that the board is going to back. I think a lot depends on the next few European games.

Phil: Spurs need a complete reset by being relegated - and I'm saying that as a lifelong Spurs fan of almost 50 years! That way, all the players that think they're great - but aren't - will leave and Spurs can use academy players, as well as buy players that work their socks off for the club. They also need a manager who cares about the club like Pochettino always did.

GMcd: I doubt Gray, Maddison, Solanke and Luca Vukosvic will hang around. Why we never recalled Vukosvic in light of all the injuries I do not know.

Peter: New Goalkeeper. Sell Romero, start Luca Vuskovic. Sell Bentancur and Bissouma. Make Maddison skipper. Sell Richarlison. Don't buy Kolo Muani. Start Mikey Moore and use Dane Scarlett more frequently.

James: I don't actually mind that possible Championship team, but nothing about it suggests a quick return to the Premier League. And then how do we rebuild if we do get back as the people running the club have shown consistently they cannot do a good job? We could become another yo-yo club, or worse.

Ed: Spurs Championship Starting XI: GK - Kinsky, RB - Spence, CB- Takai, CB - Davies, LB - Souza, CM - Devine, CM - Gray, CM - Sarr, FWD - Hyeok, FWD - Lankshear FWD - Odobert.

Bardi
Fan writer

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As the implications of Thursday's defeat started to sink in, a list began to form in my mind: the individuals responsible and those I want gone from meddling in the affairs of my football club.

By the time I finished the list, Tottenham felt like a very lonely place. There are precious few faces I want to see pop up next season.

Spurs have been run aground from top to bottom. The decision was taken to oust Daniel Levy, hardly a fan favourite, but replacing him with a collection of 'suits' with little footballing IQ set the ball rolling. From there, it has simply snowballed.

Our recruitment policy is scattergun at best, and we seem unable to keep players fit for the chop-and-change tactical systems we employ. And now to cap it all off, the abysmal decision-making process has finally infected the first-team squad.

In N17, it seems like we are incapable of going 10 minutes without setting fire to something. The floor is covered in the ash of catastrophic red cards, premature or delayed sackings, and formations that make little to no sense.

The only people to walk away untouched by blame are Archie Gray and the fans.

Gray has been used to plug every gap and fix every tactical deficiency. It feels like the fate of the club sits on his 19-year-old shoulders, a burden far too heavy for someone of his age. He is a mechanic spraying WD-40 on an F1 car whose wheels have fallen off.

Meanwhile, the fans are the people who have been forced to witness mistake after mistake. Those in the stadium on Thursday night have paid roughly £300 per home Premier League win over the past two seasons.

There is little comfort on offer right now. So, I'll turn to my list. I'll repeat it every night before sleep in the hope that when I wake, we'll have finally made a correct decision...

Find more from Bardi at The Extra Inch - a Spurs podcast, external

Sami Mokbel
Senior football correspondent

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Thursday night's defeat by Crystal Palace means Tottenham are just one point above the bottom three with nine matches remaining.

Spurs replaced Thomas Frank with Igor Tudor in February, with the Croat's track record of instantly improving under-performing teams one of the key attractions to his appointment.

But Tudor has lost all three of his games in charge, raising concerns about his suitability for the role.

On Friday morning, club sources told BBC Sport that Tottenham have no immediate plans to change manager for a second time this campaign.

The club also confirmed that Tudor is scheduled to undertake the pre-match news conference, before Tuesday's Champions League last 16 first-leg tie at Atletico Madrid, providing further indication that Spurs are sticking with him for now.

But even if Tudor can steer Tottenham to Premier League safety, it is now looking highly unlikely that he will be a contender to take the role on a full-time basis.

Spurs fan Harry, who left the defeat by Crystal Palace at half-time, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live: "We're in big trouble right now. I don't know where anything good comes from this right now.

"The simple thing is it's one constant in all the manager changes and it's the board, it's ENIC, it's the Lewis family. You have to think that the neglect that went through the team where we have a board right now that cares more about money than the football on the pitch.

"It isn't just this season, you could go all the way back to Poch [Mauricio Pochettino], where we didn't invest in that time - it's nearly seven/eight years since that happened now, and we're reaping what we sow.

"We can get out of it but I don't have any faith in those players.

"I look at the squad now and think to myself, 'Can we even do it in the Championship?' The Championship is not an easy league. A lot of these players are going to leave, a lot of them don't have the mentality for it. And who's going to be left to fight for us? I don't know who that is."

On why he left at half-time: "The reality of things is I've been going to Spurs since I was three years old, I'm 28 years old now and I've never left early. I've never been that type of fan.

"But I felt dejected yesterday. It was a case of it's been very toxic in that stadium where fans go at each other and stuff like that. It was awful last night. It felt like an emptiness last night."