The 2024-25 season was one that made no sense for Tottenham. Only 11 league wins all season yet comfortably among the division’s top scorers, 22 league defeats yet no relegation battle, 17th place yet qualifying for the Champions League. And more importantly than all of that, a long trophy drought ended with a first major European trophy since 1984.
These seasons are what fans want, and these are the ones we will remember. For too long there has been a preoccupation with “finishing top 4” but really, what will we remember in the future: that 2021-22 season where we finished 4th or the season just gone which, for all its oddities, brought that night in Bilbao and the celebrations afterwards. The great Danny Blanchflower said the game was about glory and, as we have seen these past few weeks, he was correct.
So, what could make such a memorable season better? The lack of success on the other side of North London, of course. Arsenal finished with almost twice as many points as Spurs, won far more games, beat Spurs (sadly quite comfortably) twice, and finished far higher in the league but ended the season far less happy.
The jokes won't be at Tottenham's expense this year
They actually came very close in the Champions League even with injuries and a tough draw, but it will all be forgotten in another trophyless season. And in failing at the semi-final stage, another funny stat is preserved for now: since 2007, the North London team that has got furthest in the Champions League is still Tottenham.
So, for once the jokes and the memes will not be on Spurs. They will concern Arsenal having no strikers, missing bottle, etc. And it doesn’t take long for them to start going around. It has been pointed out to me that we will soon be playing in the Super Cup, which is a competition Arsenal have never qualified for. That there will be trophy parades in West London, North London, and South London while Arsenal watch has also been mentioned. I was told the answer to the question “How far are Arsenal from a European trophy?” is “About 4 miles”.
Yes, it may not make sense to many for the lack of success for one club to elevate another, but that’s football. The shoe has been on the other foot plenty of times as Arsenal were successful, but for a summer at least Spurs fans get to gloat, despite the stats. Perhaps Schadenfreude is too much, but whatever this is, it has a place in football and all clubs need it.
There have been individual moments like this before of course, and we can go far back. What made Gazza’s goal in the 1991 Semi Final vs Arsenal even sweeter? Knowing one of my Arsenal-supporting friends was sitting behind the goal as David Seaman scrambled hopelessly in an attempt to save it. What made Nayim’s winning goal for Zaragoza vs Arsenal in the 1995 Cup Winners Cup final better for Spurs fans? He is an ex-Spurs player. It’s one of the (many) reasons a Euro Super League does not have appeal, the competition between fans of rival clubs is something that can’t be beaten.
I can't claim to know that the long-term future is better for Spurs than for Arsenal, or which club will do better even as close as next season, but football isn’t about thinking so long term like this. We need to enjoy it while we can. Arsenal may be in the position to gloat over us next season, but for now let’s just enjoy that glory Danny was talking about.