In the North London derby, Igor Tudor made his Premier League debut as manager of Tottenham Hotspur, but the team ultimately suffered a humiliating 1-4 defeat at home to arch-rivals Arsenal.

After the game, the new coach faced the media directly, focusing on analyzing the team's fatal weaknesses on the defensive end, and shared his post-game message to the players in the locker room, urging the whole team to recognize reality and start from scratch.

When discussing the team's porous defense in this match, Tudor bluntly pointed out the huge gap between the tactical plan and the players' actual execution. He revealed that the team had planned a high-pressing tactic before the match, but this requires the defensive players to push forward decisively and possess excellent physical abilities.

Tudor frankly admitted: "If you're a step too slow and don't win the ball in that area... we prepared a high press, but we didn't win the ball back." He pointed out incisively that Tottenham currently lacks the physical condition to execute such a tough tactic, not only being a step too slow in defense but also clearly lacking confidence when controlling the ball.

Against a top team like Arsenal, any hesitation will be mercilessly punished. To rouse the team, Tudor solemnly stated: "The best medicine is to look in the mirror. Each of us must look in the mirror, truly try, truly begin to change habits, and hard work is the only way out."

Despite suffering a bitter defeat in his debut, Tudor did not erupt in anger in the locker room after the game. Instead, he showed understanding towards the players. He recognized their willingness to execute the coach's intentions, but acknowledged that their current overall form limited their ability to do so.

“I saw passion. I saw the will. I wasn’t angry because they wanted to execute the tactics, it’s just that they couldn’t do those things at this stage. On Tuesday, everyone will be back, all together, and staying humble is key,” Tudor recounted his post-match remarks to reporters.

Tudor knows that a few training sessions alone cannot bring about a qualitative change. Only by having everyone put aside their pride, maintain a humble attitude, and work hard in a down-to-earth manner can they turn the current slump into a driving force for progress and ultimately build a truly united and hardworking team.

Image source: Internet