Tottenham’s Record Against Relegation Threatened Teams This Season

With three of Tottenham’s remaining games in the Premier League against teams currently threatened with relegation, how have Spurs fared against teams in the bottom-5 this season?

Through the month of March, the focus of attention was very much on Tottenham’s performances against top-4 teams. As we are all too aware, that record this season has been disappointingly poor. We knew last month would create difficulties for the team and so it proved but now Spurs are faced with teams at the other end of the league table who aren’t concerned with results for a title win or Champions League finish but for them, perhaps, an ever greater prize – survival  in the Premier League for another season. The financial rewards for retaining their position in the top-flight are just as significant as for those with trophy aspirations.

The teams who are in greatest danger of relegation at this late stage of the season are: Crystal Palace, West Bromwich Albion, Cardiff City, Sunderland and Fulham. Palace and Albion, with a match in hand, are 5 and 3 points respectively above the drop zone. The bottom three teams are covered by 2 points. With it being so close every point is vital and if a team can get a surprise result as Palace did against Chelsea last weekend, it can give their survival such a boost.

Tottenham v Bottom-5

This season, from the 7 games played, to date, Tottenham have taken 19 points from 6 wins and a draw. The only team Spurs didn’t beat was WBA who took a point from a draw at White Hart Lane on Boxing Day.

2013-14 Record:  P  7  W  6  D  1  L  0  For  10  Ag  3  Pts  19

Last season Spurs’ record against the eventual bottom-5 was:

P  10  W  6  D  2  L  2  For  16  Ag  10  Pts  20

Spurs lost at Newcastle and at home to relegated Wigan. They also drew at both Wigan and relegated Queen’s Park Rangers. Those dropped points against the bottom-6 teams proved costly for Tottenham in 2012-13 as they missed out on a Champions League place, needing just 2 points to finish ahead of their north London neighbours. The two teams they took all 6 points against were Sunderland and Reading.

Tottenham team need to come together [Photo: Jav The_DoC_66]

Sunderland have had a poor season with only 10 points after 17 games in mid-December. Following the defeat by Spurs in early December, in what was to be Andre Villas-Boas’ last League win as Tottenham manager, Sunderland lost only 1 of their next 9 League games and progressed to the League Cup Final. Since then, however, they have taken only 1 point from a scoreless draw at Palace, in their last 6 games, losing the last three although they only went down 2 – 1 at Anfield ten days ago.

Gus Poyet will demand total commitment from his players against his former club. Tim Sherwood will be looking for Spurs to maintain this season’s form against the relegation threatened teams although both Palace and Cardiff proved difficult opponents at White Hart Lane.

The record against the bottom-5 teams looks good and with the proper application and endeavour from the players it should be maintained through the final weeks of the season.