The Season So Far: Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur
Expectations - Build on last season's run to the Champions League final by cementing their place as the 3rd best team in England with a view to challenging for the title next season
Reality - Out of the title race before the end of August, permanent inconsistency has secured yet another trophyless season for Spurs
League Form
A 1-0 home defeat to Newcastle early in the season set the tone for the rest of 2019, as just 3 wins by mid-November left the club 14th in the league and Mauricio Pochettino without a job. An initial improvement under Jose Mourinho saw the Lilywhites rise as high as 5th, although a chance to move ahead of Chelsea into the top 4 was wasted in December when they were outclassed by their London rivals in a 2-0 home defeat. A woeful run of form over Christmas seeped into the new year and beyond, with just 3 wins from their last 10 outings leaving Mourinho's men in 8th, 7 points off the top 4.
What About the Cups?
The Carabao Cup was over before it even really began, as Pochettino's gamble to play the reserves against League Two Colchester resulted in an embarrassing defeat on penalties after an uninspiring 0-0 draw. The FA Cup offered more promise, as Tottenham battled through replays against Middlesborough and Southampton before once again being eliminated in a shoot-out in the Fifth Round, this time by bottom-of-the-table Norwich. Spurs had led the Canaries 1-0 for much of the tie thanks to Jan Vertonghen's early header, but a Michel Vorm blunder late in the second half, combined with Erik Lamela, Troy Parrott and Gedson Fernandes all failing to convert their spot-kicks, ensured that Tottenham's 29-year wait to lift the FA Cup would be extended by least another year.
Any Success in Europe?
Handed a relatively straightforward Champions League group including European minnows Olympiacos and Red Star Belgrade, Spurs proceeded to blow a comfortable 2-0 lead against Olympiacos in the opening game to draw 2-2. The next round of European fixtures saw the club hit a new low, conceding 7 goals at home for the first time in their 137-year history, as former Arsenal forward Serge Gnabry returned to North London with a bang, scoring 4 in a 7-2 win for Bayern and making Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld look like they should have retired years ago. Back-to-back wins over Red Star and a 4-2 comeback win in the return game against Olympiacos salvaged the campaign and saw Tottenham progress through to the Last 16 as group runners-up, and a seemingly lucky draw against RB Leipzig offered the possibility of another tilt at going deep in Europe's biggest club competition. However, across two legs the German newcomers offered a footballing masterclass that announced themselves as genuine contenders and marked the end of this Tottenham side as a force in Europe, with the 4-0 aggregate scoreline signalling that a regeneration was desperately needed.
Did the New Signings Fit In?
Injuries meant that Giovani Lo Celso's and Ryan Sessegnon's arrivals from Real Betis and Fulham were delayed until November, but both have shown promise since becoming regulars within the squad, Lo Celso offering creativity going forward and Sessegnon perhaps being the long-term answer to Spurs' left-back woes. Tanguy Ndombele's arrival from Lyon in July for a club-record fee at the time seemed a fantastic signing, and the France international may still develop into the the player many expected him to become, but his relationship with Jose Mourinho seems to already be at breaking point, and concerns over his work-rate have raised questions over his future in England, with reports linking him with moves to France and Spain in the summer. Steven Bergwijjn has had too little time to impress to be sure whether or not he is the required calibre for a side aiming for Champions League qualification, but a debut goal in a win over Man City was an effective way of winning over the fans.
Looking Good for Next Season?
This question is entirely dependent on whether Jose Mourinho is given the funds he was promised when he first took the Spurs job in light of the coronavirus crisis and the likelihood of no Champions League football. With Jan Vertonghen set to leave for free in the summer a centre-back is a top priority, and the lack of goals from midfield is another weakness that needs addressing. This is a rebuilding project that will likely take longer than Mourinho has ever been at one team before, and time will tell whether his relationship with Daniel Levy and the fans can survive what will likely be another transitional season.
Expectations - Build on last season's run to the Champions League final by cementing their place as the 3rd best team in England with a view to challenging for the title next season
Reality - Out of the title race before the end of August, permanent inconsistency has secured yet another trophyless season for Spurs
League Form
A 1-0 home defeat to Newcastle early in the season set the tone for the rest of 2019, as just 3 wins by mid-November left the club 14th in the league and Mauricio Pochettino without a job. An initial improvement under Jose Mourinho saw the Lilywhites rise as high as 5th, although a chance to move ahead of Chelsea into the top 4 was wasted in December when they were outclassed by their London rivals in a 2-0 home defeat. A woeful run of form over Christmas seeped into the new year and beyond, with just 3 wins from their last 10 outings leaving Mourinho's men in 8th, 7 points off the top 4.
The Carabao Cup was over before it even really began, as Pochettino's gamble to play the reserves against League Two Colchester resulted in an embarrassing defeat on penalties after an uninspiring 0-0 draw. The FA Cup offered more promise, as Tottenham battled through replays against Middlesborough and Southampton before once again being eliminated in a shoot-out in the Fifth Round, this time by bottom-of-the-table Norwich. Spurs had led the Canaries 1-0 for much of the tie thanks to Jan Vertonghen's early header, but a Michel Vorm blunder late in the second half, combined with Erik Lamela, Troy Parrott and Gedson Fernandes all failing to convert their spot-kicks, ensured that Tottenham's 29-year wait to lift the FA Cup would be extended by least another year.
Handed a relatively straightforward Champions League group including European minnows Olympiacos and Red Star Belgrade, Spurs proceeded to blow a comfortable 2-0 lead against Olympiacos in the opening game to draw 2-2. The next round of European fixtures saw the club hit a new low, conceding 7 goals at home for the first time in their 137-year history, as former Arsenal forward Serge Gnabry returned to North London with a bang, scoring 4 in a 7-2 win for Bayern and making Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld look like they should have retired years ago. Back-to-back wins over Red Star and a 4-2 comeback win in the return game against Olympiacos salvaged the campaign and saw Tottenham progress through to the Last 16 as group runners-up, and a seemingly lucky draw against RB Leipzig offered the possibility of another tilt at going deep in Europe's biggest club competition. However, across two legs the German newcomers offered a footballing masterclass that announced themselves as genuine contenders and marked the end of this Tottenham side as a force in Europe, with the 4-0 aggregate scoreline signalling that a regeneration was desperately needed.
Injuries meant that Giovani Lo Celso's and Ryan Sessegnon's arrivals from Real Betis and Fulham were delayed until November, but both have shown promise since becoming regulars within the squad, Lo Celso offering creativity going forward and Sessegnon perhaps being the long-term answer to Spurs' left-back woes. Tanguy Ndombele's arrival from Lyon in July for a club-record fee at the time seemed a fantastic signing, and the France international may still develop into the the player many expected him to become, but his relationship with Jose Mourinho seems to already be at breaking point, and concerns over his work-rate have raised questions over his future in England, with reports linking him with moves to France and Spain in the summer. Steven Bergwijjn has had too little time to impress to be sure whether or not he is the required calibre for a side aiming for Champions League qualification, but a debut goal in a win over Man City was an effective way of winning over the fans.
This question is entirely dependent on whether Jose Mourinho is given the funds he was promised when he first took the Spurs job in light of the coronavirus crisis and the likelihood of no Champions League football. With Jan Vertonghen set to leave for free in the summer a centre-back is a top priority, and the lack of goals from midfield is another weakness that needs addressing. This is a rebuilding project that will likely take longer than Mourinho has ever been at one team before, and time will tell whether his relationship with Daniel Levy and the fans can survive what will likely be another transitional season.
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