Tottenham should shift focus to Europe
Having slipped up against Burnley Tottenham have once again lost their position in the title race that they had so fortuitously managed to reclaim via the poor form of both Liverpool and Manchester City. They can however turn lemons into lemonade with a strong European push.
Tottenham beat Borussia Dortmund and progressed on to the next round of the Champions League. They put in a mature performance and moved on to the next stage against one of the better coached and better attacking sides in Europe. That’s not something that should be taken lightly and it does make it easier to accept that they have once again managed to mess up their chances at a Premier League title.
The Champions League though would be an equally if not better feat and it is one that is easily possible. Tottenham have managed to stay in the competition and though the teams are better the Champions League is still a knock out cup competition. Unlike the Premier League which needs a team to be consistently successful over the course of 38 games and 9-10 months the Champions League really only needs a team to play well 4-6 times.
Tottenham can do that. They can manage the cup well and manage to maintain the rest of their season in the Premier League by just staying in the top-4. The truth is if it’s not 1st then it doesn’t matter if it’s 2nd through 4th. If it means resting players and preparing for Champions League ties a little better than it would be worth it for Tottenham to make sure that they do and sacrifice the points that they have too.
The unfortunate thing is that they have made even this strategy a little bit harder with their surrender to Burnley. That is a match that they should simply be winning and to lose that match while also not giving any time off to the tired legs of many of the more important starters Tottenham have made things a little bit more complicated.
If they can manage it then they should progress with the above strategy however. The teams left in the Champions League are not that much better than Tottenham in terms of talent except for a chosen few. Barcelona are marginally better if only because they have Lionel Messi, I realize that’s a big if, but then the rest of the squad actually doesn’t match up very well. Atletico Madrid are at an equal level and so are Juventus given the age of their squad and the fact that their goalkeeper and defense and flailing at the moment. Then really there’s only City with a squad that is obviously better and that’s a match that Tottenham are well versed in.
Spurs can do this and still make a historic year out of this one. The only thing that they genuinely have to do is believe and find a way to tactically manage things well. Up until this point Pochettino has proven to be an adapt trainer and season long manager with a few failings in cup competitions. Many people suggest there’s a different skill set between a cup manager and a league manager though I disagree. A smart manager who knows where to focus as opposed to trying to fight on all fronts can find a solution. Particularly one who is as tactically astute as Pochettino proves to be time and time again.
The focus should be Europe above all else. It is the trophy oddly the most within reason and that, above all else is the point. Spurs supporters have proven themselves in the past couple of years far beyond what the team has given them and that debt must be paid back on the pitch.
They must do it in Europe.