Rio Ferdinand critical of 'embarrassing, dour, drab' Tottenham after Champions League loss to AC Milan
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Updated 09/03/2023 at 09:26 GMT
Tottenham's hopes of progressing to the Champions League quarter-finals were ended by AC Milan after a 1-0 aggregate defeat. Spurs rarely threatened to score an equaliser at home and their display did not impress Rio Ferdinand, Glenn Hoddle or Peter Crouch on BT Sport. Ferdinand also wondered what the result might mean for Harry Kane's future at Spurs.
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Rio Ferdinand criticised Tottenham’s “embarrassing, dour, drab” performance after they were beaten by AC Milan in the last 16 of the Champions League.
Trailing 1-0 from the first leg in Milan, Spurs were passive for most of the return leg as they were held to a goalless draw.
There appeared little urgency about Spurs and they failed to test Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan until late in the game.
The result means Spurs are set to go another season without silverware and are only left looking to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League.
Summing up Spurs’ display, former Manchester United defender Ferdinand said on BT Sport: “Embarrassing. No spark, no urgency, lacklustre at times, dour, drab…
“We asked at half-time and before the game for those players to go out there and give these fans something to get behind them, which you need in these big games, and they did nothing.
“There was no fight, no spirit, and they will be going back into that changing room thinking we all could have done more, individually, but as a team as well. The last thing you want as a player when you come off after a game at any level is feeling you could have done more. That’s how they will be leaving this stadium.”
Spurs, who were reduced to 10 men in the second half when Cristian Romero was sent off, have now lost their last three matches in a row without scoring.
“There was no creativity, no energy in the team,” said former Spurs boss Glenn Hoddle.
“They found it so hard to get round the back of AC Milan, they played in front of them all night.
“There are a lot of players playing with a lack of confidence, Romero has to be looked at, he could be a wonderful defender but time and time again he gets sent off. As a collective they just weren’t at it all.
“It’s not a one off, it’s a pattern, it’s time and time again we have seen then play like this.”
Spurs are currently fourth in the Premier League, three points above fifth-placed Liverpool but having played a game more.
Newcastle in sixth are four points back but have two games in hand on Spurs.
Ferdinand wondered what defeat to Milan could mean for the future of Harry Kane, who has been linked with a move to Manchester United.
“These Spurs fans want to hope and pray that Harry Kane wants to be a one-club man,” he said.
“Regardless of what happens at this club, they have to hope he wants to be Mr Spurs for the rest of his career, because on the face of that he will say I am going to finish my career playing with that type of performance.”
Former Spurs striker Peter Crouch added: “They sleepwalked into that.
“Quarter-finals of the Champions League at stake and they didn’t lay a glove on them. Second half more of the same, they huffed and puffed towards the end but otherwise it was easy for Milan. To say that at home for Tottenham is so disappointing.
“That Milan team won’t believe how easy it was tonight. I’ve never seen the crowd so flat and that was because of the performance.”
Spurs host Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday.
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