MAKE no mistake about the title above, Spurs are a very good football playing club, and their position on the EPL log – just reiterates that.
But, it is their failure in accruing for themselves – a major trophy to show (for their massive improvements on and off the football pitch recently), that tends to just pitch them below Chelsea and Arsenal.
Having ceremoniously won a major trophy in each of the last six decades – before their League Cup triumph in 2008, it’s rather bewildering to see them wane in their demeanor of winning trophies now.
They have showed this season, though, that they are a force to be reckoned with, most notably – in the Premier League. Spurs have failed in many of the major tournaments they have participated in – this season; getting knocked out often, and just recently – the FA Cup; in which they failed to hold their own against city rivals Chelsea in the Semi- Finals.
Prior to that Semi-Final clash at Wembley against Chelsea, many football fans and pundits were of the notion that Spurs should be able to shrug off Chelsea, and then go on to win the most prestigious English football tourney, based on their impressive league form. But again, they just couldn’t.
Spurs were clearly the better side on the pitch – against Chelsea at Wembley. They dominated the game with their frantic pressing style – which involves high-pressing to both create attacking chances and to disrupt their opposition’s build-up play. But they still lost the game. Despite coming from behind twice to restore parity in the match.
Last season, as the league came to its penultimate stage, Spurs were ahead of Arsenal and Chelsea in the race for the league title, but bottled the chance and later ended up finishing below Arsenal. A mystifying scenario that got lots of Spurs fans and football enthusiasts’ dumbstricken and utterly disappointed.
Spurs have the players and can boast of the many qualities in their ranks, as their partly dominance in the recently released PFA team of the year just seem to reiterate that fact. But, the major factor hindering this Spurs side from winning laurels and casting them farther behind Chelsea and Arsenal is, their inability to win games -just when it matters most.
And they have also lacked the character and resolve needed to be champions as shown by Arsenal when they defeated City to progress to the finals against all odds. Even Chelsea showed character, class and astuteness in ensuring they triumph over Spurs at Wembley.
Their inability to win vital games, synthesized with their lack of character and resolve have not only hampered their progress in the FA Cup, but also got them knocked out of Europe and the League Cup this season.
They might have the stadium in place and play the kind of football that befits the status of an European juggernaut, but until they start winning those vital games, and start to show more character, resolve and astuteness – which are important traits of champions, they will keep playing the exuberant way; with no trophy to show for it.
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