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Tottenham’s Season in Ten Matches

By Ryan Wrenn

STOKE ON TRENT, ENGLAND - APRIL 18: Mauricio Pochettino manager of Tottenham Hotspur applauds the travelling fans after victory in the Barclays Premier League match between Stoke City and Tottenham Hotspur at the Britannia Stadium on April 18, 2016 in Stoke on Trent, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
STOKE ON TRENT, ENGLAND - APRIL 18: Mauricio Pochettino manager of Tottenham Hotspur applauds the travelling fans after victory in the Barclays Premier League match between Stoke City and Tottenham Hotspur at the Britannia Stadium on April 18, 2016 in Stoke on Trent, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 08: Eric Dier of Tottenham Hotspur walks past team mates Mousa Dembele and Toby Alderweireld during the Barclays Premier League match between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur at Emirates Stadium on November 8, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 08: Eric Dier of Tottenham Hotspur walks past team mates Mousa Dembele and Toby Alderweireld during the Barclays Premier League match between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur at Emirates Stadium on November 8, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images) /

Arsenal 1 – 1 Tottenham, November 8th

This was the first of two disappointing draws in the Premier League against Arsenal for Tottenham.

Why would a disappointing match make this list? Because in both this 1-1 contest in November and the 2-2 reverse fixture in March, Tottenham justifiably felt aggrieved in failing to win.

Pochettino’s methods have been proven before and since, but against an Arsenal side that — beyond being Tottenham’s local rivals — were expected to challenge for the Premier League they proved particularly effective.

Arsenal’s qualities shown through in the end, as they came back from behind in both matches to earn draws, but what set Tottenham ahead in the first place was a master class in how Pochettino’s take on the high press can supplant the old order.

Tottenham harassed and hassled and generally set a domineering tone in Arsenal’s own half for wide swathes of the 90 minutes here. Only some resolute defending from Arsenal’s back-line kept Tottenham’s advantage from being doubled before substitute Kieran Gibbs scored the equalizer in the 76th minute.

What this match, and the draw that followed in March, tells us is that Tottenham are not longer a team that capitulates against the Premier League’s supposed “bigger” sides. Indeed, of last season’s top four, Tottenham registered only one loss (United on the opening day). Considering how abysmal their record against those same teams was in recent years, that’s a dramatic improvement. And it should be just the beginning.

Next: Watford - Tottenham

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