Tottenham must show character in Champions League
Tottenham Hotspur were again drawn in an incredibly difficult Champions League group containing Barcelona, Inter and PSV Eindhoven.
Many Tottenham supporters are waiting for the day in which they get drawn in a Champions League group that doesn’t seem set against them from the beginning. Following this years draw they will need to keep waiting. This years group is something that Tottenham should relish and be licking their lips for.
The reason for this is simple. This is not the traditional soft-jawed Tottenham anymore. They’re a legitimately good squad these days and have no need to fear anyone. No longer are they a team of talented attackers and broken defenders. No longer are they a team who are delicious going forward and repulsive in the tackle and defending their own goal. This is a Tottenham team that is a legitimate title contender in England as well as a contender to top their group and maybe even, win the Champions League itself. That’s the point, isn’t it? Who plays football to take part? To ceremoniously travel to a few European destinations? The point is to win and give everything for that cause. Tottenham have the talent and that should be the aim. Nothing less. That is the attitude and character they must approach Europe with this season.
Yes, that was brazen of me but it’s time for Tottenham to be as well. As a football supporter, it has always surprised me that it seemed not only do Tottenham supporters but the club often appears almost apologetic and resigned to losing before the tough matches have even begun. Most of the other European giants are in flux at the moment this could be a year when something different happens.
This team is better than last year and last year they waxed Real Madrid. That was a Real Madrid team that went on to win the Champions League and still possessed Cristiano Ronaldo, the best player in the world. This is a Tottenham team that just beat Manchester United 3-0 AT Old Trafford. They have the best out and out striker in the world in Harry Kane and one of the top-5 number 10’s in Europe in Christian Eriksen. Their manager is a legitimate genius and their captain is a World Cup winner. This is a good side.
The only thing Tottenham need to do in order to not only get out of the group but top it is show some character. The sort of character that has been emerging thanks to Pochettino in recent season.
Yes, it’s true Barcelona are a phenomenal club and they’re going to be better than last season with the now available Coutinho and Dembele in addition to the always amazing Lionel Messi. Tottenham though need to show some initiative, some bravery and take it to Barcelona the same way they did Real Madrid last year. It’s not as if Barcelona have the best defence in the world and Tottenham’s midfield is on roughly the same level as Barcelona’s which is now lacking Iniesta mind you. A Barcelona team that is changing it’s identity after years of continuity is a team with weaknesses in it’s armor. Tottenham can make the most of that.
Inter are a welcome sight back in the Champions League and particularly for Tottenham. Remember when Gareth Bale became the player who Real Madrid wanted and essentially ended Maicon’s career? Tottenham vs Inter and that was a worse team and had Harry Redknapp instead of Pochettino as manager. Inter are now coached by the perennially underrated and one of my personal favorite coaches in Luciano Spaletti and are integrating a lot of new talent. They’re a year or so from European maturity and will have growing pains. Tottenham should shoot for the stars and be aiming to beat these men both home and away.
PSV Eindhoven are the smallest team in the group but by no means a bad club. One of the giants of Dutch football they are perhaps suffering the most from the Eredivisie’s diminishing place in world football but that doesn’t mean they don’t play competent, technically sound and strong football. This is a potential banana skin because if Tottenham don’t have their heads right the Dutch could make a meal out of this. But that is what having a manager as strong as Pochettino is for. That is Spurs’ ace in the hole. They haven’t had a manager this good in living memory and that is something that keeps every single possibility wide open.
Spurs need to show the character and brazeness of champions to pull off something historic. Fortune, after all, favors the bold.