There was an air of inevitability as Vincent Janssen, one of Tottenham Hotspur’s less prolific strikers, scored the fourth goal to seal the points against Bournemouth on Saturday. The Lilywhites were lethal in attack, solid in defence, and comfortably moved within four points of league leaders Chelsea.
While it may take an extraordinary collapse by the Blues for Tottenham to get within an earshot of the title, it takes nothing away from the fact that Tottenham have had an extraordinary season. Seven league wins on the trot, unbeaten at White Hart Lane all season, and the emergence of some of the brightest talent in England, means there is a lot to look forward to for Spurs’ fans.
Match-winners in every position
Tottenham have long lived in the shadow of their North London rivals Arsenal – never finishing above them in the league in 21 years – but this year seems different.
Led by one of the league’s most prolific goal scorers in Harry Kane, a remarkable midfield, and a resolute defence that loves keeping clean sheets, Spurs have a squad that is brimming with talent.
Consider the midfield for instance. Spurs boast of a dead-ball specialist who tops the assists charts in Christian Eriksen, the always efficient Mousa Dembele, and the prodigious 21-year-old Dele Alli. Add destroyers like Victor Wanyama and Eric Dier to the mix and you have midfield depth matched by few other teams.
The defence is equally noteworthy – France No 1 Hugo Lloris in goal, miserly Belgian center-backs Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld, and fullbacks Danny Rose and Kyle Walker, have conceded a league-low 22 goals all season. Spurs also sit second in the chart for goals scored, with 68.
Working as a well-oiled machine, converting defence into attack, week in and week out, it is no surprise that Spurs have been the most consistent side in the English game for the last two seasons. That they have disappointed in Europe can be blamed on inexperience, but this is a team that learns fast.
Their carefully assembled squad may not have as many superstars as either of the two Manchester clubs, but it does have a sense of organisation and work ethic that looks destined to deliver success.
Manager nurtures talent
Those who followed Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino at Southampton and Espanyol would agree that teams managed by the Argentine are always tactically sound.
A common feature of the sides he’s managed so far include a high-tempo pressing game, a preference for the 4-2-3-1, and a history of nurturing and promoting talent from the club academy to the first team.
Adam Lallana, Luke Shaw, Nathaniel Clyne, and Dejan Lovren are just some of the names that benefitted from his vision at Southampton. And he’s been doing exactly the same at Spurs as well. Dier, Kevin Wimmer, Ben Davies, and most of all Dele Alli are all youngsters flourishing under Pochettino’s watch.
But while the Argentine is yet to win a trophy, his success has been widely noticed, with some even linking him to the vacant managerial position at Barcelona next season. He’s played down the speculation since, indicating his ties with Espanyol and his contract at Spurs would prevent him from signing for the Catalans. But the links do well to enhance his fast-growing reputation.
Shrewd chairman at the helm
While the players and the manager deserve all the plaudits, the man at the heart of the Spurs revolution is their chairman Daniel Levy. A shrewd transfer mastermind who is known to drive a hard bargain, Levy has been instrumental in bringing in talent such as Eriksen, Aldeweireld, Dembele and Lloris to the club.
It was Levy who oversaw the sale of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid for a then world record £85.3 million, rebuilt the team since the Welshman’s departure and is now plotting the club’s move away from White Hart Lane to a swanky new 61,000-seat stadium.
The road ahead
Moving forward, the main challenges for Tottenham are managing the weight of expectations, putting together a good run in the Uefa Champions League and keeping hold of their best players.
But with the proposed move to the new stadium, enhanced revenue from the Champions League, as well as the new Premier League TV broadcast deal, and confirmation that Pochettino is contracted till 2021, there are enough reasons for Spurs fans to be optimistic.
As their biggest rivals – Arsenal – flounder under Arsene Wenger, the first “no St Totteringham’s Day” could just be the start to a remarkable era in Tottenham Hotspur’s history.