LONDON, Feb 23 (Reuters) - If Igor Tudor needed hard evidence as to the size of his task at Tottenham Hotspur he got a filing cabinet's worth in Sunday's 4-1 home defeat by Arsenal in the north London derby.
There had been a slight lift in the mood amongst Tottenham fans ahead of the game, a feeling that Tudor might be able to initiate a "new manager bounce" against an Arsenal side showing signs of nerves in the Premier League title race.
Instead, a dominant Arsenal strolled to three points with their biggest league win at their arch-rivals since 1978.
Tudor was left in no doubt that his side are in a relegation battle that could see them drop out of the top flight for the first time since 1977.
"Where is the goal? What is the level? So today, totally different worlds. I need to be honest. Two totally different psychological and physical worlds," the straight-talking Croatiansaid of the contrast between the two sides.
"A lack of confidence is very evident in the team. I'm very sad and very angry and everything but in one way it is also good to understand where is our goal. What is the goal of this club?
"What is the goal of this team? What is this goal of this coach, these players, this staff? To become serious. Serious, not just a group of 20 players.
"Each of us look in the mirror and really try, really start to change the habits. Working hard is the only way."
With 11 games remaining, Tottenham are in 16th place, four points above the relegation zone. But their form is shocking, even compared to the two clubs directly below them, Nottingham Forest and West Ham United.
They have not won a Premier League game in 2026 and have only won twice at home in the league this season.
Based on the last 12 games, Tottenham are bottom of the table -- five points worse off than West Ham and Forest, who both look better-equipped for a relegation scrap.
Apart from a brief spell when Randal Kolo Muani equalised on Sunday, Arsenal toyed with Tottenham and could have won by an even larger margin.
Former Juventus and Lazio coach Tudor, who replaced Thomas Frank this month, was correct to point to the crippling injury list that left him with 13 senior outfield players on Sunday while suspended captain Cristian Romero will complete his ban at Fulham next weekend.
That is a match Tottenham dare not lose.
"It was too much Arsenal for us in this moment with the problems we have," Tudor said. "Also it's nice to understand where we are because you prepare in the best possible way then there is the game to show you reality.
"I said to the players, stay quiet, come on Tuesday and restart after these three or four training sessions to work harder than we did until now. To change our habits, to change the state of mind which is now as a team."
(Reporting by Martyn Herman)
