Tottenham sets a dreadful record after losing to Chelsea

The loss to Chelsea during the 10th round of the 2025/26 Premier League not only threatened Tottenham’s place in the top 4 but also resulted in the club establishing a poor record for expected goals (xG).

Before the London Derby in the 10th round of the 2025/26 Premier League, Tottenham was favored over Chelsea as they were ranked 3rd on the table, while Chelsea stood in 9th place. However, Chelsea ultimately secured the win thanks to Joao Pedro’s sole goal. This result lifted Chelsea to 5th position, while Tottenham dropped to 4th, only staying ahead due to goal difference.

According to the Daily Mail, Tottenham’s expected goals (xG) in this match was just 0.05, meaning they had only a 5% chance of scoring during the game. With an xG of 0.05, Tottenham set the worst milestone in the club’s history since the introduction of this statistical measure in football in 2012. Spurs fans booed loudly after the loss to Chelsea, and Frank admitted he “fully understands that frustration.”

As usual, Frank made a round of the pitch to thank the fans who stayed until the end. However, a video posted by reporter Chris Cowlin showed Spence and Van de Ven ignoring their coach when he tried to speak with them. Notably, Spence even gestured angrily as both walked into the tunnel.

In the post-match press conference, coach Thomas Frank spoke about the moment he was ignored by players:

“The players are obviously very disappointed. They always want to perform well, to win, to prove themselves, so I understand that feeling. Win or lose, we still need to maintain stability, which is why I always thank the fans as usual. Of course, I’d prefer to do that after a victory.

I understand why people question that interaction, but I think it’s a minor issue. Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence are both giving their best. Everyone is disappointed. We have a slightly different way of working, but I don’t see it as a big deal.”

When asked about the 0.05 xG figure, Frank added:

“Honestly, it hurt me deeply. I have never managed a team that created so few chances in a match. Never before. Of course, I will review it and look for ways to improve.”

Regarding the boos after the match, Frank shared:

“Yes, I completely understand. We all feel that disappointment and emotion; it’s part of football, and it’s very painful. As a coach, you face questions from the media while inside you’re overwhelmed, just wanting to find solutions and review the match to understand what happened. But the important thing is to stay calm. Overall, Chelsea played much better, we were completely outplayed and performed poorly.”

Putting domestic competitions aside, Tottenham will soon face Copenhagen in the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League (on November 5th, 3 AM Vietnam time). Thomas Frank’s team needs a win to improve their standing in the tournament after two consecutive draws.