Louis Saha says Tottenham and Chelsea officials are now repeating Arsenal’s long-standing mistake
Former Tottenham striker, Louis Saha, has shared the biggest mistake made by Spurs and Chelsea management that cost Arsenal a long time.
Tottenham face the last four games of the Premier League after a difficult season
Spurs’ campaign has played out the way few could have predicted at the start of the season.
What started with optimism has turned into a race defined by massive inconsistencies, missed opportunities, managerial chops and mounting pressure.
Results have dropped significantly since the start of the year, games are still out of control, and the situation at the club is getting worse as the weeks go by.
Defensively, Spurs looked vulnerable for a long time, conceding goals at difficult times and struggling to hold possession. In attack, there has been the odd flash of quality, but nowhere near enough to hide the wider problems.
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The Italian is a fan.
Injuries to key celebrities certainly helped, however the overall picture points to something deeper than just bad luck.
Instead of pushing for the European places, the Lilywhites spent the second half of 25/26 looking nervously over their shoulder.
The mere thought of relegation to the Championship for Roberto De Zerbi’s side is something that would be considered laughable by last season’s Europa League champions, but they are staring it squarely in the face.
Sitting in 18th place, the prospect of the second division is a real possibility for one of the big six players in the Premier League.
Striker Dominic Solanke has been the latest star to return to Tottenham’s medical table, but De Zerbi could at least be bolstered by the imminent return of James Maddison.
Louis Saha shares Tottenham and Chelsea’s ongoing mistake made by Arsenal
Commenting on Tottenham’s situation, he suggested that the problems could partly stem from decisions made away from the pitch, particularly around recruitment.
The Frenchman also says Chelsea and Spurs are making the same big mistake Arsenal have been making for a long time – not signing proven, quality players.
“Sometimes it comes from the board and the type of signings that have been made,” said Saha.
“Strategically – it’s good to go out and sign young players with high skills but maybe you need to bring in players who are already world class – it’s the same story that Arsenal has been criticized for for a long time – so you don’t find yourself suffering from this lack of experience at important times.
“We see it with Chelsea today. Chelsea have done, I don’t know, signed about 20 talented young players, but there are key moments in a game or a season where mistakes are made at great cost to the team.
“So if you do that all the time, it hurts the results and the players, it might work to trade, but then you find yourself in the same situation as Tottenham.”
That argument sounds important when you look at Tottenham’s campaign.
There have been repeated times where games have been lost due to poor concentration or poor decision making. In tight contests, those little moments often make the difference, and Spurs often come out on the wrong side.
A strong core of experienced stars, with Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi now key summer targets, may have prevented this.
There is still time to stabilize and finish the season strong, but long-term questions remain.
If the balance of the group is not right, the same problems can continue to appear.
Tottenham clearly have talented players, but talent alone has not been enough this season.
As they look ahead, finding the right mix between innovation and proven quality may be crucial to avoid another difficult campaign like this one.
The Tottenham star is dealing with a season-ending injury as Fabrizio Romano confirms yet another
De Zerbi has lost key men for the remainder of 2025/2026.
