Tottenham approaching next level
By Ryan Wrenn
Were one to graph out the aggregate progress made at Tottenham since the arrival of Mauricio Pochettino in 2014, it’s easy to imagine this season representing a sharp — though still not steep — incline.
After a freshman season that more or less sustained the progress made under André Villas-Boas, Pochettino’s influence floated Tottenham into the realm of the elite. The team earned their first Champions League berth since 2010 as a result.
Critics — both then and now — might find ways to easily discount this progress. Far from revolutionary, Pochettino’s success has come from presiding over a steady ship that benefited from outside circumstance. While perennial contenders like Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal suffered phases of deconstruction and rebuilding, Spurs floated up to fill the void.
In spirit it is precisely the same dismissive logic that allowed most fans to cheer for then immediately shrug off the dynasty potential of Leicester City. The 2015/16 season was a fluke that directly benefited both the Foxes and the Spurs.
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If 2016/17 was supposed to be a corrective, thus far it has only half lived up to expectations. Leicester City returned to a more appropriate level — mid-table contenders just above the relegation fray — while Chelsea rocketed back into the title hunt after a slump year.
Tottenham, however, bucked the trend. They are currently strong favorites to finish second, the place in the table they only lost last season due to a freak late season collapse. What’s more, all signs point to them finishing above rivals Arsenal for the first time in over a quarter century.
Yes, teams like Arsenal and United continue to suffer through downward trends, but there is no denying the effort it took Spurs to reach this point — and hold on. Injuries provided selection migraines for Pochettino, particularly this season, and yet Spurs sustained unbeaten and winning streaks regardless.
None of which is to suggest that Spurs avoided their struggles. Europe — both in the form of the Champions League and Europa League — continues to defy Tottenham. They dropped out of the former in the group stage this season, and failed to see past lowly Gent in the latter’s first knockout round.
Those competitions were never the priority however. Deep runs were preferred certainly, but the main trick Pochettino was tasked with was balancing mid-week obligations along with the Premier League. It’s safe to say he proved Spurs capable of that this season, and they will take that with them again into the Champions League next season.
The encouragement that should be taken from all this is that Tottenham’s success is less revolution than it is evolution. Pochettino is creating a firm foundation for the club to rise to the next level, keep pace and build for the next step. That should mean closer title races in the near future, and perhaps deeper international cup runs later.