You have to feel for any Tottenham fans that had the misfortunate of travelling hundreds of miles to see their team player at St. James’ Park, only to see them comprehensively dismantled by a rampant Newcastle side in the opening 20 minutes.
A battling performance thereafter notwithstanding, it was a huge embarrassment for anyone connected with the north London outfit, and it was inevitable that Cristian Stellini would fall on his sword after that.
It certainly wasn’t the best preparation for the final few games of the campaign, starting with Manchester United on Thursday.
With every point crucial now in their fight for the Champions League spots, the manner of the defeat is certain to have hit the players hard.
They even admitted as much in a statement released on Monday which actually contained some good news for those hardy souls who had taken the time to venture to the north east.
The players have a message for our fans who went to Newcastle on Sunday… pic.twitter.com/HFfmo8R2iH
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) April 25, 2023
As the players themselves identified, words aren’t enough, but the gesture should still be appreciated.
The one issue they may find is that what is essentially a PR exercise in getting supporters back on side, could blow up in their faces if they put in another under par showing against the Red Devils.
Talk is cheap and actions speak louder than words.
With six games left to play there’s an outside chance of finishing in the Champions League spots, and the players should also be aware of the teams coming up behind them and looking to nab their spot in the Europa League – which seems more likely at this stage.