Sugar tastes sour fall-out of defeat

The timeless equation of home defeat plus adverse crowd reaction equalling the sack threatens to cast Christian Gross out of Tottenham. If he defies this formula - and the bookmakers' ominous 4 to 7 latest odds that he will become the season's first Premiership managerial casualty - then he will be made of even sterner stuff than his sombre image projects.

For all his faults as selector and tactician, the embattled head coach at least retained his dignity and cool-headedness amid the rancorous atmosphere enveloping White Hart Lane. Even as he gave a second press conference, his voice competed with the chants of about 350 demonstrators ringing out across the car-park.

"Sack the board" and "We want Sugar out" were among the more polite chants amid mainly personal abuse of the chairman Alan Sugar as fans pressed against the famous gates for more than an hour after this dismal, demoralising defeat by a markedly superior Sheffield Wednesday.

Gross played down the significance of Sugar's visit to the dressing-room at half-time, when this game was already up for Spurs. It was not the first time the chairman had slipped into that socalled sanctuary and, said Gross, "he didn't talk to the players".

"For sure," agreed Gross about the need for the uplift a big signing would bring. But the head coach was looking well beyond Solskjaer for solutions. He then intoned the familiar mantra of needing to "work hard and analyse, especially why we conceded again after two set pieces". His repeated faith in "the quality of my players" may be simply a stock tonic for the troops but the application of many is being loudly questioned by fans. Chris Armstrong, who may soon leave, and Les Ferdinand could complain of poor service but were also brushed aside physically.

In an uninventive midfield, save for David Ginola's eye-catching but often self-indulgent thrusts, Darren Anderton was virtually non-existent. Tottenham's much-abused defence was reduced to two recognisable figures, Sol Campbell and Stephen Carr, by the end, because of knocks to Ramon Vega, who was spared further baiting in the second half by a foot-ligament injury which, said Gross, "could be a bad one". The Italian left-back Paolo Tramezzani injured his knee and a finger.

The defence was hardly helped by Ian Walker's error for the first goal as he appeared to throw the wrong arm at Peter Atherton's looping header. The third, direct from Andy Hinchcliffe's 25-yard free-kick, also raised questions about the goalkeeper as well as the wall. In between, Benito Carbone's ingenious chip and Paolo Di Canio's eventual finish effectively signalled the end of the contest. Only 35 minutes had elapsed.

TOTTENHAM: Walker, Carr, Tramezzani (Dominguez 68), Nielsen, Fox, Anderton, Ferdinand, Armstrong, Ginola, Vega (Saib 45), Campbell. Subs Not Used: Baardsen, Calderwood, Clemence. Booked: Anderton.

SHEFF WED: Pressman, Atherton, Jonk, Walker, Carbone (Hyde 72), Booth, Di Canio (Briscoe 85), Hinchcliffe, Thome, Rudi, Cobian (Barrett 62). Subs Not Used: Clarke, Oakes. Booked: Booth, Cobian, Rudi, Carbone. Goals: Atherton 27, Di Canio 35, Hinchcliffe 78. Att: 32,129.

Referee: M Reed (Birmingham).