A return is a reminder of the day when Nuno wasn’t really Nuno. Or not the Nuno Espirito Santo many thought they knew anyway. The Portuguese goes to the Emirates Stadium on Saturday with his Nottingham Forest team level on points with Arsenal. Three years ago, on his last visit there, his Tottenham side kicked off above their neighbours in the table. By the end of the North London derby, it was tempting to think there was no way back for Nuno.
His side went 3-0 down in 34 minutes. He admitted he got his gameplan wrong. A 4-3-3 formation featured Dele Alli and Tanguy Ndombele as high No 8s, leaving a hole at the heart of the midfield. A cautious strategist failed when he tried to be a cavalier. It was as though Nuno, aware of Tottenham’s traditions of attacking, tried to be something he was not. Wolves’ best manager in the last half-century had one of the shortest reigns in Spurs’ history.
