After a mesmerising display in the league, Tottenham Hotspur have stepped down a notch or two and must return to winning ways starting with the upcoming encounter with Swansea City.
Tottenham Hotspur have enjoyed one of their best seasons in recent years but still a top-four finish is far from certain. Spurs are currently fourth in the league with 54 points on the table after having played 30 games so far in the 2012/2013 Premier League campaign.
Fourth place in one of the most competitive leagues, is a massive achievement indeed but considering the fact that Tottenham were in a far better position not so long ago, makes it a cause of concern for the team.
Spurs’ top priority this season is to qualify for next year’s Champions League and they cannot afford further slip ups from now till the end of the season. Looking at the upcoming fixtures, things are looking really unpleasant for the European hopefuls as they will be up against some of the best teams in the league.
Last season, Tottenham Hotspur were in a similar position, except for the fact that Harry Redknapp was managing the team back then instead of Andre Villas Boas. Spurs have performed really well under the tutelage of AVB but they have failed to perform on a regular basis of late, which has resulted in their demotion from the podium.
Few months ago, Tottenham were competing with the likes of Manchester United and Manchester City for the top spots. However, their inconsistency has contributed heavily to their downfall.
For starters, Spurs have relied heavily on their star player, Gareth Bale. The Wales international has been sensational for them this season and is a strong contender for the Golden Boot Award. However, over reliance on the winger has showed the weakness of the team and in the absence of the Welshman, Tottenham have found it hard to win matches, especially away from home.
The fact that Spurs are still in the Europa League, makes it tougher for the capital club to focus on the domestic matters. They defeated Inter Milan to progress to the next round of the competition, but that can affect their domestic performances as they chase a top four finish ahead of the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Everton.
Tottenham’s next league game is against Capital One Cup winners, Swansea, who are currently ninth in the league. The last time these two teams met was back in December when Spurs won the game 1-0. It is a must win game for Villas Boas’ side because if Spurs lose at the Liberty stadium, an Arsenal victory against Reading on Saturday will bring the Gunners to 53 points only one behind Spurs with a game in hand.
Swansea are a team who have enjoyed a dream run this season, having earned promotion two years back the Welsh side has made significant strides. After surviving the first season in England’s top division, they now look set to finish the season in the top ten with a silverware under their name.
Tottenham’s game against Swansea is even more important due to the fact that Spurs will be up against Basel, Everton, Chelsea and Manchester City after this match and they do not have much room for error.
Spurs are known to choke when it matters the most, it will be disheartening for them and their fans if they fail to achieve their targets this time, considering how well they have done this season. The ball is in AVB’s court and it is a test of his managerial skills and tactics to make sure that Spurs get the job done this time around.
Furthermore, getting the job done by the end of the season will go a long way in defining how things will pan out for the club in the coming years.
Fourth place in one of the most competitive leagues, is a massive achievement indeed but considering the fact that Tottenham were in a far better position not so long ago, makes it a cause of concern for the team.
Spurs’ top priority this season is to qualify for next year’s Champions League and they cannot afford further slip ups from now till the end of the season. Looking at the upcoming fixtures, things are looking really unpleasant for the European hopefuls as they will be up against some of the best teams in the league.
Last season, Tottenham Hotspur were in a similar position, except for the fact that Harry Redknapp was managing the team back then instead of Andre Villas Boas. Spurs have performed really well under the tutelage of AVB but they have failed to perform on a regular basis of late, which has resulted in their demotion from the podium.
Few months ago, Tottenham were competing with the likes of Manchester United and Manchester City for the top spots. However, their inconsistency has contributed heavily to their downfall.
For starters, Spurs have relied heavily on their star player, Gareth Bale. The Wales international has been sensational for them this season and is a strong contender for the Golden Boot Award. However, over reliance on the winger has showed the weakness of the team and in the absence of the Welshman, Tottenham have found it hard to win matches, especially away from home.
The fact that Spurs are still in the Europa League, makes it tougher for the capital club to focus on the domestic matters. They defeated Inter Milan to progress to the next round of the competition, but that can affect their domestic performances as they chase a top four finish ahead of the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Everton.
Tottenham’s next league game is against Capital One Cup winners, Swansea, who are currently ninth in the league. The last time these two teams met was back in December when Spurs won the game 1-0. It is a must win game for Villas Boas’ side because if Spurs lose at the Liberty stadium, an Arsenal victory against Reading on Saturday will bring the Gunners to 53 points only one behind Spurs with a game in hand.
Swansea are a team who have enjoyed a dream run this season, having earned promotion two years back the Welsh side has made significant strides. After surviving the first season in England’s top division, they now look set to finish the season in the top ten with a silverware under their name.
Tottenham’s game against Swansea is even more important due to the fact that Spurs will be up against Basel, Everton, Chelsea and Manchester City after this match and they do not have much room for error.
Spurs are known to choke when it matters the most, it will be disheartening for them and their fans if they fail to achieve their targets this time, considering how well they have done this season. The ball is in AVB’s court and it is a test of his managerial skills and tactics to make sure that Spurs get the job done this time around.
Furthermore, getting the job done by the end of the season will go a long way in defining how things will pan out for the club in the coming years.
