Tottenham head coach Nuno Espirito Santo insists he was told the club’s philosophy when he took charge in the summer and is determined to win over supporters.
Spurs have lost three consecutive Premier League games to London rivals Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Arsenal after their protracted search for a new manager ended with the appointment of Nuno in June.
They were top of the league after winning their opening three matches 1-0 but rank 20th out of 20 for shots and chances created this season, and have also covered less distance than any other side.
Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust (THST) recently requested a meeting with the club’s board to discuss its “short and long-term strategic vision”, but Nuno remains confident performances will improve.
“I’ve been told [the philosophy] and everybody knows,” he told reporters on Wednesday. “It’s football, everybody wants to play good. Everybody wants to play offensively, everybody wants to score. This is what we chase.
“Sometimes it’s not possible but we are aware that this is what we want to do but it takes a building process to achieve it and we are trying.
“The criticism is normal. Everybody knows how this industry works. When you don’t play good, when you don’t perform and results don’t go your way, criticism is something you have to deal with. We understand it and it’s up to us to react and change it.”
Spurs face Slovenian side NS Mura in the Europa Conference League on Thursday, hoping for their first win in normal time since a 1-0 victory over Watford in the Premier League on August 29.
Despite concern from supporters, Nuno insists there is no reason to panic.
“I’m not worried about the judgement. What I’m worried about is how we can play better,” he said.
“The judgement, the criticism and the opinion is all part of the game and we have to deal with that. That doesn’t interfere with the way we work. It can only distract us. My focus is on how we can improve.
“In terms of the fans, now is not the moment to ask them. Of course, we need them, we need their support because the players and the team need the support of the fans, but it’s not a moment to ask them.
“It’s a moment to deliver. We have to give them a team that is solid and playing good and then things will go back to normal.”
When asked what’s he’s learned about himself, Nuno said: ‘A lot of things. It tells me a lot of things. Since day one, we are knowing each other better, we are realising our strengths and weaknesses so we can improve.
‘The moment that we were winning was only disguising to the outside. Inside we knew we still had things to improve. Now it’s obvious that we have things to improve. In terms of what I’m seeing, I’m seeing players that want to achieve, that work hard to achieve it, but we are not able to be consistent to do it.
‘We are still having problems when we concede a goal. We lose our focus. We lose our solidity and how compact we are and that we must avoid.
‘So a lot of analysis is going on. A lot, but with the tools and the belief that we have a talented team with quality players to get out of this situation and play much better football.’
When asked if he still has the backing of the dressing room, Nuno said: ‘Yeah, [they] totally believe [in me].
‘There’s no doubts about that because we work together every day, we prepare together and these moments we need to stick together and the belief is the first step to do things and we have it.
‘You have to realise sometimes it’s not possible. Sometimes opponents is better than you and you have to be humble to give credit and sometimes you don’t perform. Sometimes the plan is no good. The belief in all of us is here.’
Merson says: Nuno at risk
Following Tottenham’s 3-1 defeat by north London rivals Arsenal last weekend, Paul Merson explains why he is so concerned for the club’s new manager Nuno Espirito Santo.
“Spurs were playing like that (counterattacking) last season, but no one was in the crowd, so they could get away with it,” Merson said.
“I’ve always liked Nuno and thought he would get a top job, but there are ways of getting beat at football and those players were not running through a brick wall for him on Sunday. And that is where the worry starts…
“This (the north London derby) is the fans’ game, the be all and end all and it does not matter how good a manager you are, you can be the best manager in the world, but it is all about the players – do not let anyone tell you it is all about the manager.
“If the players want someone out, they are out – one more game like that and Nuno is gone, Spurs will not mess about, they can’t have that.”
Fears grow over Nuno’s Spurs style
Sky Sports’ Adam Bate:
“Nuno Espirito Santo was the Premier League manager of the month for August after taking Tottenham to the top of the table but September has been miserable. If the competition had started once the transfer window closed, Spurs would be bottom.
“His team have now conceded three goals in three consecutive London derbies but there has been nothing worse than this. Overrun by an Arsenal side with conspicuously more endeavour and enterprise, Spurs looked so passive at the Emirates Stadium.
“It is the sort of performance that supporters will never accept.
“A look at the Premier League table lends some perspective. Six games in and they have an identical record to Arsenal. But the contrast between the teams was marked on Sunday. The youthful exuberance of the Gunners. The turgid efforts of Tottenham.
“The problem for Nuno is that he arrived as a man needing to address concerns. There were fears over his style of play – and remember that is part of his remit as stated by chairman Daniel Levy. Those fears are only going to increase given the nature of this defeat.”