For a while, being a Tottenham Hotspur fan has meant having to build yourself the toughest of skins. Constantly being ridiculed for their lack of silverware, their fans have, in it’s place, a collection of could-have-beens.
“We could have won the league title in 2016 if we didn’t draw against Chelsea”
“We could have won the Champions League in 2019 if we didn’t concede that early penalty, it ruined our game”
“We could have won the EFL cup in 2021 if we didn’t fire Mourinho before the final”
Tottenham Hotspur’s brilliant and exceptional football has ensured they go far in the competitions they play, and that their name is always mentioned when ‘the Premier League big six’ is a topic of discourse. But what good is playing well if you don’t win?
In a 2018 post-game interview, former Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini was asked of his team’s victory over Tottenham.
His reply:
“It’s the history of Tottenham- they always create so many chances and score so much, but they miss something to arrive at the end.”
Tottenham’s history has been littered with missed opportunities, costly mistakes, avoidable defeats during crucial times of the season, and unsavoury records. The football world even coined a term after them, Spursy, which basically means to failing to live up to expectations.
The club has came under fire in the past for having a mentality not fit a member of ‘the big 6’.
Kyle Walker once admitted that his switch from Tottenham to Manchester City was more than a change of managers, squad and facilities. It was also a change in mentality.
Antonio Conte, while still managing Tottenham last season, condemned the club’s mentality after a 3-1 loss to Tottenham.
Last season was a disastrous one for Tottenham Hotspur. They finished in their lowest position since the 2008/2009 season, failing to qualify for any European competition. This was despite starting the season with a six game unbeaten run, winning four games and drawing twice.
Angelos Postecoglou was hired to replace interim manager Ryan Mason in June. In his first press interview, he acknowledged that Tottenham had to rebuild, and the process might take some time.
So, it came as a surprise to everyone, including Tottenham fans, when they achieved their best start to a season since the 1960/1961 season. The contrast between how they play now and how they did at the end of last season has people wondering if they really are the same team that got beaten 6-1 by Newcastle in April.
The amount of positive change they have gone through, despite losing their frontman and record goal scorer Harry Kane to Bayern Munich is nothing short of inspirational. With new signings James Maddison, Guglielmo Vicario, Destiny Udogie and others, they have managed to cheat logic, skipping the struggles that analysts predicted them to go through due to Kane’s departure.
They have injected a new type of hope into a fanbase that have been so close to winning all types of trophy, yet fell just a victory or draw short.
Seemingly adopting a fluid, attacking style of football, a never-say-never mentality and sizzling team chemistry overnight, they really have started the season in an amazing form. Now, they sit atop the Premier League table, unbeatable and unmovable. But, Tottenham is a club famous for their inconsistency. So, literally anything can happen in the months between now and May.
We might be witnessing a new era of North London success with ‘Ange-ball’, or we might be witnessing our historical Tottenham only wrapped in new Australian linen. Either way, Tottenham’s unpredictability makes for good entertainment.
*Photo courtesy of Fancy Crave
-Julius
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