Igor Tudor has to answer for Mathys Tel call as well as Kinsky in Tottenham loss vs Atletico

Tottenham Hotspur endured one of their most embarrassing nights in Europe on Monday.

Playing Atletico Madrid away from home in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie was always going to be a tough ask for Tottenham, especially given their current form.

However, conceding four goals after 22 minutes and having your goalkeeper hooked on 17 minutes is a whole new low for Spurs entirely.

Atletico thrashed Tottenham 5-2 at the Metropolitano on Monday night, with Igor Tudor not covering himself in glory at all for a host of reasons.

Igor Tudor’s Mathys Tel sub was baffling vs Atletico

Mathys Tel was backed for Spurs success following the sacking of Thomas Frank, with many feeling the appointment of a new coach could unlock his potential in N17.

However, that simply hasn’t been the case for him after Tudor’s arrival, as the highly-rated French forward’s last goal contribution came on 7 January against Bournemouth.

But, with Spurs 4-1 down at half-time against Atletico, the 20-year-old was actually one of the Lilywhites’ best players on the pitch, and his presence offered some hope of a revival in the second half.

Surely then, Tudor would want to keep him on the pitch? Well, that wasn’t the case, as he was replaced by Conor Gallagher for the second 45.

Taking Tel off and bringing a more defensive-minded central midfielder in Gallagher on in his place, when Spurs needed to chase the game in attack, was a strange move indeed by Tudor.

Tottenham were pushing for goals in the second half, and so had Tel still been on the pitch, his first half performance suggested that he could’ve given Spurs a much better chance of eating into Atletico’s lead.

Tudor should be ashamed of Kinsky decision

Tel’s substitution, of course, was not the headline act of Tottenham and Tudor’s night in Spain.

His decision to start the young goalkeeper for this match was a brave one, and demanded that he stuck by the 22-year-old on the night, but after 17 minutes, Tudor dragged Kinsky off.

The Czech did make a number of errors leading to Atletico goals, but all that bringing him off served to do was cement his embarrassment, whereas keeping him on would’ve at least showed support, and offered the chance of redemption.

However, replacing him when the damage was already done was a bad enough look for Tudor, but to completely ignore the youngster when he came off the pitch was flat out wrong by the Spurs boss.

All it needed was an arm around the shoulder, and an explanation as to why he’d made that call, especially for a young player in a moment like that.

Tudor can try to play the cold, ruthless figure that he perhaps feels Tottenham fans expect him to be given the situation he’s walked into, but he also has a duty of care to his players, and especially young ones like Kinsky.

The post Igor Tudor has to answer for Mathys Tel call as well as Kinsky in Tottenham loss vs Atletico appeared first on Tottenham Hotspur News.