Overview
- Tottenham lost 1-0 at home to Chelsea on November 1, with Opta reporting a club-record low expected goals figure of 0.05.
- Jamie Carragher said Joao Palhinha lacks the quality to make line‑breaking passes, arguing that this limits Tottenham’s build-up play.
- Palhinha completed 28 of 37 passes against Chelsea but posted just 1.9 in pass progression and 0.3 in carry progression, highlighting on-ball limitations.
- Despite the criticism, Palhinha leads the Premier League in tackles this season, underscoring his value as a defensive midfielder.
- Reports note Spurs are interested in a permanent deal for the Bayern Munich loanee as debate grows over Thomas Frank’s selections, including the Palhinha–Rodrigo Bentancur pairing.