Tottenham’s Title Will Have to Wait
By Ryan Wrenn
While Tottenham might still be in the running for the Premier League title mathematically, even the most diehard fan must admit that it’s likely beyond the club’s reach at this point.
Monday’s 1-1 draw with West Brom leave seven point separating Tottenham and Leicester City. If the club has any hope of closing that gap with the three matches remaining, they’ll need to accumulate at least two wins and a draw against Chelsea, Southampton and Newcastle. That alone isn’t inconceivable, of course. What’s more of a stretch is the second half of that equation – Leicester will also need to drop a similar amount of points over their three remaining matches against Manchester United, Everton and Chelsea.
That would be an epic collapse, even more epic than the collapse that still seemed possible just a week ago. It’s all but certain that Leicester will earn the three points at some point over the next three games that they need to clear the last hurdle, thus claiming the first English title in their history. Good for them.
Now, not to tempt fate, but it’s worth nothing that it would take a similarly epic collapse for Tottenham to not qualify for the Champions League next season. They are even likely to finish above Arsenal for the first time in 21 years. Those are accomplishments that few pundits and fans predicted for Tottenham this season. By virtually any measure but the actual Premier League table, this has been a marvelous and historic season.
More from Tottenham News
- Storybook ending after difficult period for Tottenahm’s Richarlison
- Tottenham comeback showcased invaluable intangible Ange has cultivated
- Tottenham player ratings in 2-1 comeback win over Sheffield United
- Tottenham projected starting 11 for Sheffield United
- Tottenham’s Richarlison says he’s going to seek psychological help
Where Tottenham can really take heart, though, is the fact that at present the club is equipped to sustain this level of play into the foreseeable future. Not to water down Leicester’s outstanding accomplishment, but they rode to their probable title on the back of a 29-year-old striker who had never performed so well at this level before and might never again. Yes, savvy recruiting and impeccable organization also contributed, but the real test of the Foxes mettle will be if they can remain competitive into a second season, especially with the burden of Champions League football.
Tottenham, in contrast, are uniquely equipped to actually get better next season. Their matchday squad is the youngest in the league most weeks. Players like Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen, Érik Lamela and even Harry Kane are far from their peaks. If Daniel Levy and Mauricio Pochettino can keep this Tottenham team together – or perhaps even augment it through the academy or transfer window – then there is every reason to believe that the club remains in the title conversation next season and beyond.
It won’t be easy of course. The Premier League is shaping up to be quite a force this summer. Who would have ever imagined that Pep Guardiola, Antonio Conte, Arsène Wenger, Jürgen Klopp, Claudio Ranieri and likely Jose Mourinho would all be managing in the same league? That’s not even taking into account the less established but no less promising talents of Ronald Koeman, Slaven Bilić and of course Pochettino himself.
Next: Tottenham's Title Hopes Take a Huge Hit
That Tottenham can still reasonably be optimistic in that overflowing talent pool says a tremendous amount about the progress made since the days of Harry Redknapp, André Villas-Boas and Tim Sherwood. This is a team that will not falter in the Premier League’s survival of the fittest contest. It will adapt and evolve, and eventually get its reward.