How Congested Could Tottenham’s Schedule Get?
Tottenham could potentially play in a maximum of 32 games in three competitions to close out the 2015-16 season.
The Telegraph’s Alistar Tweedale has recently taken a look at what the FA Cup has meant in years past and why Premier League title contenders, especially three of the top four clubs this season — Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham — should drop out. And the main reason is because each team’s schedule will be heavily congested when paired with European football.
In a couple of words, it’s a disaster waiting to happen.
POPULAR: Tottenham Can Win Premiership But Must Drop FA Cup & Europa League
The Telegraph article linked above is just another example of why Tottenham should seriously consider dropping out of the FA Cup, as well as the Europa League if they want to keep pace with Leicester City who are five points ahead of them and sitting in first place.
Because as it stands, there’s a potential of 32 total games that Tottenham will have to play to close out this season. This is when you factor in 15 Premier League games, eight FA Cup games including replays, and nine Europa League games because of first and second legs.
Does Tottenham have the depth on their roster to make a run in all three competitions? Sure, they’ve gotten this far and have done well. But that was because Spurs were quickly knocked out of the League Cup back in September. So let’s not forget about that major important detail.
What was once a prestigious tournament with a chance of lifting another trophy is now no longer considered important. And that is because of how clubs have prioritized their season objectives for the past decade.
During the first 10 Premier League seasons, only two teams were able to pull of a league double by winning the Premiership and the FA Cup: Manchester United and Arsenal. Since 2002-03, 13 years have passed and only one club has pulled off the feat, which was Chelsea during the 2009-10 season.
It shows that not only has the FA Cup lost its significance, but competition for a Premier League title has increased drastically. Each year at least six or seven teams can vie for the title. Not to mention that clubs have shifted their focus on obtaining a European spot whether that is the Champions League or Europa League.
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That means Premier League clubs who will try to compete in four fronts yearly will rue their chances of attaining something much bigger such as European football or a league title.
And in Tottenham’s case, they have a shot at a Champions League spot, number one. And number two, a possible first division title which would be their first since their league double (Football League First Division and FA Cup) since the 1960-61 season — 55 years ago.
Right now, all eyes will be on Leicester City, not just because they’re in first place, but because as it stands they have the easiest path to securing a Premiership title. They only have 15 games to compete in, and they’re only Premier League fixtures.
Coincidentally, the Foxes’ season mirrors that of the 2013-14 Liverpool season where they barely missed out on winning another league title, which would have been their first since the 1989-90 season. It also helped that the Reds had no other competition to play in as they would eventually get knocked out of the FA and League cups and didn’t even qualify for European football.
Next: Pochettino Dismisses Talk of Spurs Exit
Now, the idea of forfeiting two competitions isn’t even on Tottenham’s mind at the moment. And while it shouldn’t, it can almost be a unanimous vote among supporters, that if Spurs had a chance in playing in less games. Then it would automatically be better for the Lilywhites to drop 17 games (FA Cup and Europa League) because injuries have taken its toll on the club, one that includes Jan Vertonghen being out for two months.