Tottenham’s path from underdog to bully

Following Tottenham’s 2-0 win over Newcastle on Sunday, some on social media were quick to label the victors bullies.

That criticism, admittedly, came mostly from fans of Spurs’ rivals, but there’s a kernel of truth there. Harry Kane’s wild tackle in the first half earned him a yellow card, but it could very easily have been a red.

It was the kind of tackle you might expect from a striker, but that should not downplay the severity of it. Spurs fans would have little to complain about should Kane have been sent off.

That moment was thrown into contrast by what happened just minutes into the second half. Jonjo Shelvey, in full view of the referee, stepped on Dele Alli’s ankle while the 21-year-old was recovering from a foul on the turf. The action — while less dangerous on the surface than Kane’s challenge in the first half — was blatant enough that it earned the Newcastle man a straight red card.

Now, by the letter of the law, this was a correct call. Kane’s challenge, however poor, was not consciously malicious in the same way Shelvey’s stamp was. There’s little to argue, nor would there have been if Matt Richie’s clattering of Dele’s ankle just minutes later were to have received a red instead of the yellow it got.

None of which stopped Spurs’ detractors. Pochettino’s team, their narrative goes, got away with one by Kane staying on, and were on the verge of succumbing to their newly promoted hosts.

Which isn’t true, as we covered. Spurs quality might not have shined threw until after Shelvey’s red, but they were always the most likely team.

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What is true is that Spurs crossed an invisible line with their second place finish last season. No longer could they rightly be considered upstarts. They aren’t party crashers in the top four, at least not anymore. Pochettino has the desire and means to keep them at or near the top.

Which means that, to much of the rest of the league, they suddenly become the villains, pushing around the little guy on their way to bigger things. Especially when Kane gets away with challenges like he did on Sunday, it’s much easier for supposed neutrals to say that Tottenham are privileged.

It’s a bias that comes hand-in-hand with success, but Pochettino’s aggressive tactics almost ensure that it will stick.

A vast bulk of that aggression is tempered. It is designed not to hurt or antagonize opponents, but rather to keep pressure on the ball and force mistakes. But for some hot-blooded moments in Dele’s own history and the Battle of Stamford Bridge, Spurs do not have a reputation for stamping on opponents or especially forceful challenges.

Indeed, Tottenham are the only team in the Premier League to not earn a single red card over the past two Premier League seasons.

That said, they do foul often — a little less than 12 times per match — but it often to tactical ends. Érik Lamela, in particular, knew when to deliver a well-timed challenge if the press wasn’t sufficient to stop the opposition from building up from the back.

Fouling can be a detriment, but it also breaks up play and gives teams time to reset their lines. Spurs would much rather deal with a foul in Lamela’s area of the pitch, for instance, than a shot on Hugo Lloris’ goal. It’s not always obvious, but Spurs realizing the hidden value of tactical fouling has no doubt prevented many goals over the past two seasons.

That Spurs can utilize such tactics and still go without frequent punishment is a testament to how finely-tuned a pressing mechanism Pochettino has created. Those who know where to look — or want to look there — will see why Spurs play like they play, and how it benefits them.

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Unfortunately, on the surface it just looks like another in a long list of despicable traits for Spurs’ rivals to criticize.