Tottenham crash out of Carabao Cup to Colchester on penalties

Eric Dier summed it up best after a goalless 90 minutes, telling his teammate Victor Wanyama that it had been an embarrassing performance from Tottenham. But their misery was only just beginning. They were out of the Carabao Cup before long, beaten 4-3 on penalties by Colchester United, whose giantkilling exploits left a subdued Mauricio Pochettino wondering when his underperforming side will rediscover their sense of unity.

There was little intensity when it mattered from Spurs, who were toothless in attack after giving Harry Kane the night off, and Pochettino knew this was not a good look for last season’s Champions League finalists. He bemoaned the lack of aggression that meant they created few chances against the team sitting 10th in League Two and admitted that it will take time for his players to shake themselves out of their funk.

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This humbling defeat felt too familiar for Spurs, who are winless in their first five away games this season, and it was alarming to hear Pochettino suggest that there are too many different agendas in his squad. He is clearly still not over the frustrations of the summer, when the north Londoners failed to make all the signings he wanted and unhappy players such as Christian Eriksen, Danny Rose, Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen ended up staying put.

“We talked a lot in pre-season,” Pochettino said. “I knew it would be a tough situation. When you have an unsettled squad you always need time to recover the time you lose. That’s where we are. Maybe performances are good but we need this mental connection, this energy to be all together, not to have different agendas in the squad. We need time again to build that togetherness.”

Could the January transfer window bring more uncertainty? “We are working hard,” insisted Pochettino. “January is a good opportunity to try to fix this type of situation. Then the next transfer window. That’s the problem when something happens you cannot control. I’m more than happy, it means we are human. To keep successful in football you need to be different every season.”

At least there was some belated positivity from Pochettino after misses from Eriksen and Lucas Moura in the shootout. Perhaps he had remembered that lifting the gloom is his responsibility. “Today wasn’t a problem with energy or effort or commitment,” the manager added. “When you are nearly all perfect but don’t score it’s because of something you lack in the last third. But I am happy. The way we are going to change the dynamic is by working the way we worked today.”

Spurs, who have won two of their first eight games in all competitions, were unimpressive in the final third. Their best chance during the first half fell to the lacklustre Dele Alli, who shot too close to Dean Gerken in the Colchester goal after meeting a cross from Oliver Skipp, and they found it hard to service Troy Parrot. The 17-year-old striker was quiet on his debut.

“A great night under the lights,” said John McGreal, Colchester’s manager. “We knew that we had to change it. We knew that we had to get the extra man in midfield. We knew that, if we went to try and press, we’d get popped around.”

McGreal’s side, who travel to Macclesfield Town in the league at the weekend, defended well and Spurs were reduced to appealing unsuccessfully for a penalty when Alli claimed he had been shoved by Paris Cowan-Hall. There was also a scare for the underdogs when Kyle Walker-Peters struck the far post with a cross-shot from the right.

That was as close as Spurs came and it felt like a moral victory for McGreal when Pochettino threw on Son Heung-min and Eriksen in the 66th minute. Colchester had blunted Spurs, who needed more incision from Skipp and Wanyama in midfield.

Penalties beckoned and the crowd roared when Gerken began the shootout by saving from Eriksen. The atmosphere dipped when Paulo Gazzaniga saved Jevani Brown’s dismal attempt at a Panenka but Colchester had a chance to win it after Moura struck the bar.

Tom Lapslie stepped up and hammered the decisive kick past Gazzaniga, sparking a pitch invasion from the home fans. “We keep working to find a solution,” Pochettino said. “It’s about staying clear and fresh and calm. We only need time.”