Will Lankshear saw Tottenham’s dreams turn into a nightmare as poor Spurs were forgotten on the night

Tottenham’s 100 per cent record in the Europa League ended with a 3-2 defeat by Galatasaray in Istanbul, with a red card for visiting goalscorer Will Lankshear.

Lankshear was yellow-carded twice within the hour, but the hosts were tired, and substitute Dominic Solanke capped a nervy finale with a fine finish.

Standard Sports running through three talking points of dramatic game.

It was perhaps as loose a performance as Spurs have had under Ange Postecoglou and they were, frankly, lucky not to concede six or seven goals to a rampant Galatasaray side in the 70 minutes before the break.

Osimhen only had enough chances to score at least five times, while he and Mauro Icardi both had their efforts deflected offside.

In one sense, this is an opportunity to cheer up Postecoglou’s critics, when all the head coach’s ‘non-negotiables’, especially his demand that Spurs play from the back, seem like weaknesses.

Glenn Hoddle, in co-comms for TNT Sports, repeatedly criticized the high-risk approach of his former club, to the point that it sounded like a broken record.

However, a patched-up Spurs side, who played the last half-hour with ten men, showed character and could have easily equalized after a late rally, while they remain in a strong position in the Europa League after winning. in the first three matches.

Losing any game, especially sloppily, will worry Postecoglou, but the result of the changed European calendar is that clubs can get nights like this.

Spurs are still probably one win away from guaranteeing the best play-off place, and they are only half way through the group stage, with four more games to play.

Given the sheer number of injuries, Postecoglou can reflect that this is an understandable mistake from a young squad and is quickly being sidelined, with Ipswich visiting north London on Sunday.

Spurs finished the game looking more likely to score but a surprising 10-man rally came after Postecoglou got a string of big-hitters from the bench.

Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski were introduced for Brennan Johnson and Heung-min Son at the interval, the only winger fit for Spurs on Sunday, while Pape Matar Sarr and Dominic Solanke also impressed as substitutes.

However, some of Spurs’ starters have been underwhelming, notably Radu Dragusin and Lucas Bergavll, none of which suggest they are anywhere near Postecoglou’s best XI.

Bergvall, meanwhile, looked lost in midfield, repeatedly giving away possession in the first half – although he was far from alone in this regard.

You wonder if the pair are mainly struggling with the ferocious atmosphere in Istanbul or are just struggling to establish a rhythm due to their lack of consistent game time this season.

Either way, Postecoglou’s fringe players are struggling, albeit in difficult circumstances, as the Spurs squad begins to feel the strain of an absent star and a heavy schedule.

For Lankshear, a night that started with a dream goal – his first in senior football – ended with a tough lesson after he was dismissed on the hour for a second bookable offence.

The 19-year-old forward, who made his full debut against Ferencvaros in this competition last month, had the easiest of finishes after Johnson selflessly squared from Archie Gray’s superb diagonal.

He had more chances in the second half, spinning in the box before sending a low shot that was too close to the keeper, but it didn’t take long for him to be naive.

After being bundled into possession, Lankshear chased Gabriel Sara and hacked the Brazilian’s ankle near the touchline, leaving the referee with an easy call.

Spurs actually improved after being sent off, but they may have had a chance to score a smash-and-grab equalizer with 11 men on the pitch.

Perhaps most frustratingly for Lankshear, he will now be suspended for the home game against AS Roma at the end of the month, denying him the chance to build on the goal.