Whilst the Tottenham Hotspur players and Mauricio Pochettino will heavily deny it, and be overly optimistic that they still have a very good at winning the Premier League, the simple truth is that it is very difficult now.
Faltering at the wrong time on Monday with a 1-1 draw against West Bromwich Albion meant that Leicester City only need to win against Manchester United on Saturday and the title is theirs. The Foxes have won seven of their last 10 games, with their last four including three wins and a controversial draw against West Ham United. West Brom like to cause an upset it seems with Leicester also drawing against the Baggies when they played against them a few weeks ago.
Harry Kane was still optimistic after Monday’s game that Spurs could still bag it. But the truth is, it is all in Leicester’s hands. They dictate their future, whereas Tottenham have to rely on others if they are to take the Premier League title.
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If Claudio Ranieri’s men lose or draw against Louis Van Gaal’s United on Sunday, then they could still win should Spurs fail to beat Chelsea or if they beat their next opponents Everton. Tottenham’s draw saw them fail to get a solid shot on goal following the 20th minute mark. Was it a stubborn West Brom that caused this to happen? Or did Spurs genuinely fall at the final hurdle?
Tony Pulis’s men played very well to get that point, and were even the reason why Spurs went 1-0 in front in the first place (though Craig Dawson redeemed himself in the best way). It has been a long battle for Spurs this season, and it showed somewhat in this game.
Dele Alli is also in hot water after an altercation with Claudio Yacob. The incident was missed by many including Pochettino, and came to light after the game. Consequently, Alli will miss the rest of the season with Spurs, after incurring a three-match ban, since he opted not to contest the English Football Association’s violent conduct charge.
Spurs need to look forward now and collect themselves to try and challenge again next season. It is something Mauricio Pochettino needs to think about. In Formula One, if a team’s car is not good enough or not producing the results they wanted this season, then they decide to focus on next year back at the factory. Do Spurs throw everything they have into trying to win? Or do they relinquish their hopes and look forward to next August?
The European Championships are coming up, and it is no doubt that a large selection of the Spurs squad will head to France to represent their countries. This allows for little recuperation time, and international duty is often a thing that annoys some managers. Players are more at risk of injury or fatigue which is obviously not good for their domestic side. Does Pochettino mix up his squad and leave out the likes of Kane, Mousa Dembele and Christian Eriksen to rest them?
The trouble is, sports men and women do not know when to give up. And this is a good thing in many ways, especially for the fans. Tottenham have been mostly written off, including in this article, but the team themselves will not feel like that in any way shape or form.
There is a still a mathematical shot at the title, and the Spurs players and their manager will hang on to that tiny morsel of hope. This season has been one of the most entertaining seasons in English football for years. This season has come at a time when football in England has become saturated with billion dollar deals between television broadcasters and furor surrounding ticket prices. People and fans of football needed this fairy tale story to reignite their passion for a special sport.
The fairytale just was not meant to be for Tottenham Hotspur this year.
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