Tottenham’s interim head coach, Igor Tudor, criticized his players following the team’s defeat to Fulham, accusing them of “cheating” after another disappointing performance.
This marked Tudor’s second loss since taking charge, as he opted for a back four during this London derby but watched his struggling side concede just seven minutes into the match.
Harry Wilson found the net for Fulham, but Tottenham players were incensed that a push by Raúl Jiménez on Radu Dragusin went unpunished, particularly since they had a goal disallowed against Arsenal the previous week under similar circumstances involving Randal Kolo Muani and Gabriel Magalhães.
“Clearly, it was a foul,” Tudor asserted. “I think nine out of ten people would agree. It’s obvious.
“There seems to be a lack of consistency in the refereeing criteria. What happened last week against Arsenal was similar.”
He added, “Jiménez wasn’t focused on the ball; he was focused on how to deceive. He pushed and then they scored. That’s cheating and it should be called a foul.”
Fulham extended their lead in the 34th minute with a long-range strike from former Arsenal midfielder Alex Iwobi. Although Spurs substitute Richarlison managed to score one back, Tottenham’s winless run in the Premier League has now reached a record-tying 10 matches.
Meanwhile, West Ham’s loss to Liverpool left them four points behind 16th-place Tottenham, who are in a precarious position.
“The problems are much deeper,” Tudor noted. “It’s a complicated situation. There are numerous issues, and I can’t provide any new insights. We need to find our inner strength.”
He told the players, “It’s always about what you decide to do for yourself.”
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“We need more personality, more determination to act rather than react—just many things.
In our attacks, we lack quality to finish, we lack movement in midfield, and defensively we need to hold our ground and prevent goals. It’s a dire situation.”
For over an hour, Tottenham struggled until Tudor introduced Pape Sarr, Mathys Tel, and Richarlison.
When asked if he wanted to see more determination from his players, Tudor replied, “I want to see everything amplified.”
“Substitutes do provide something valuable, and we definitely need that. Players like Pedro and Kevin bring personality and quality, which can change the game. We need players who can support each other.”
Fulham’s manager, Marco Silva, chose not to comment on their opening goal but insisted that the victory was warranted.
“I won’t make any remarks on that. Their opinion is respected,” Silva stated. “But it’s clear to me we deserved the three points. Our chances should have reflected a different scoreline. A fantastic performance from us.”