Can Spurs get into the top four and challenge for the title?
The simple answer is that it is too early to say, but the omens seem to be on our side. We are at the top of the Premier League table during the international break!
We’ve got the Gooners, City and the Scousers sniffing at our tails… nevertheless, we’ve already played the Gooners and the Scousers and took away 4 pts from those two teams.
Of course, there are still a lot of games to play, so we shouldn’t get carried away. We can continue to be excited about the willpower and purpose our group of players are showing under Ange Postecoglou.
The big surprise has been seeing us head into the international break at the top of the Premier League, but we are flying under our new Ange Postecoglou and have picked up some excellent results.
Many critics have questioned how long we can stay at the top, but we don’t have any European football this season, which will help our chances of staying in the top four and maybe even challenging for the title. Laugh! Leicester titty came out of nowhere, challenged for the title, and won it. Nothing is impossible in football – unlikely, maybe – but not impossible.
No European football means that we don’t have to face the same demands on our squad as many of our rivals, who are in Europe, have to do. We saw how much the same situation helped Newcastle make it into the Champions League places last season, and now it can benefit us, too.
Kane’s departure from Bayern Munich has allowed our other attacking players to step up to the mark and do their part, and new signings, like midfielder James Maddison and defender Micky van de Ven, have been superb, to name but two.
Twenty-eight teams with 20 points or more… have ended in the top four, and 11 have gone on to win the league…
Yes, since the inaugural Premier League campaign in 1992-93, 28 teams have accumulated 20 points or more after eight games; of those, 11 have gone on to lift the title.
Our early start is also early evidence of the right appointment of Ange Postecoglou, a choice questioned by some pundits.
Our style of play under Ange is also in stark contrast to predecessors Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho (who both left with the boot shoved firmly up the jacksie).
Conte was in charge for most of last season, with Cristian Stellini and Ryan Mason also taking the reins for interim stints as we finished eighth and missed out on a place in Europe for the first time since 2009-10.
Getting back into the Champions League would likely have been regarded as a success before a ball was kicked, and the precedents are positive here, too.
Of teams who have previously reached 20 points at this juncture, 93% have achieved a top-four finish, the only exceptions Newcastle in 1994-95 and Aston Villa in 1998-99.
Before this campaign, we had never accumulated 20 points from our first eight Premier League fixtures, but we have hit that tally under Ange Postecoglou after winning six and drawing two. These statistics suggest the start makes us highly fancied to finish in the top four, though it is worth noting that our fixtures have included matches against all three of last season’s promoted sides. We just beat Sheffield United and Luton Town and thrashed Burnley 2-5. However, we beat 9-man Liverpool and drew 2-2 with the Gooners, who are nearer to the top. Bournemouth and United we also beat (both 2-0). The only other team we played and walked away with a point was in the season’s first game against Brentford, where we drew 2-2.
Before we reach Santa Clause and his Elves (the Christmas period), we will have to face Fulham (H), Palace (A), Pochettino’s Rasputin’s (H), Wolves (A), followed by Villa at home. Then the big one, a journey to the superior half of Manchester to face City… if (and it is a big “IF”) we can survive undefeated up to that point, then the game against City will be a mouth-watering challenge. But we shouldn’t ignore those before the City game.
That City game will be on the 2nd of December and will be followed by the Spammers (H), Newcastle (H), Forest (A), and just before Christmas, it will be against the scouser strugglers Everton at the Tottenham Stadium.
End favourably at Christmas, when Santa allows children to sit on his knee, and maybe, just maybe, we could start dreaming of our first bit of glory under our Australian-Greek master… as they say in Australia… To Dare is to Digeridoo. Amen!
Thoughts?
Up the Spurs!
COYS!
Glenn
My name is Glenn Renshaw.
I am currently a Premium Season Ticket holder (West Stand) in the new stadium. Before that – at White Hart Lane – a season ticket holder in various parts of the ground (mainly in the North stand).
Before becoming a season ticket holder, I stood on the shelf and various other parts of the ground since the 1960s (the season of the double). In 1987 I became one of the first to hold a Spurs Membership card. I was also a life long member of the Spurs supporters club (now defunct).
I go to all home, away and abroad matches.
I was born in 1955, Edgware, London. I currently live in Berkshire.
I also collect all Spurs books, Spurs handbooks, Spurs programmes etc.
Previously, I wrote for Spurs Fanzines: The Spur, Spur of the Moment, My Eyes have seen the Glory and various other Spurs fanzines’. I also wrote for the SpursWeb app & its website.
I currently write and work for spursnetwork.com and its website. I write its Reviews & Match reports and a lot more.
My other interests are; reading, history, social history, Politics, going to the gym, wine, going out for a meal, music (all sorts), writing, theatre, concerts, going on holidays, socialising etc.
I have been writing blogs/ articles since 1989
If you wish to read more of my blog, please click “here”
