Six of the best

During the Liverpool game Glenn Hoddle commented that he could see ‘signs’ in the tunnel even before the match started that things were not going to be good for Spurs. In the tunnel Jan Vertonghen, he noticed, had his back on the wall; relaxing and joking with whoever made eye contact. He was hardly a player fired up and raring to go. It seems just like the famous ‘This is Anfield’ sign in that Liverpool tunnel, the writing was on the wall for Spurs.

I find myself wracking my brain for answers. What is causing this continual underperformance against the top four?

This must be a question Sherwood and AVB have asked themselves over and over this season. And for once even Sherwood looked resigned to defeat and merely raised his eyebrows knowingly after Liverpool’s 2nd minute goal.

The spirited defeat to Woolwich signified for many the end of our season and the dream for a top 4 finish. Coupled with our exit from Europe it seems we struggle against any team with any pedigree. Indeed, our performances against the top four sides has been woeful and is a clear sign that we are falling away from the Premier League elite despite spending alot of money.

[linequote]our performances against the top four is a clear sign that we are falling away from the Premier League elite[/linequote]

But there is another side to supporting Spurs. The side that tells us it wouldn’t be Tottenham if the ride wasn’t a roller coaster.

For sure the grand experiment hasn’t worked, but at least the intention was there as we spent £100 million trying. I remember the optimism and excitement as we signed one player after another and all the talk was about Spurs and how far we would get. But here I am talking as if our season’s over again.

I hope most Spurs fans don’t think the season is dead and buried. Eighteen points goes a long way in any division, and who knows where it may take us if a run was to start at home to Sunderland and was to finish at home to Stoke on the last day.

All the games are against ‘lesser’ teams, not a top four in sight. So who else is thinking an unbeaten run is realistic and 18 points is maybe achievable?

In these six games I want the squad to show us what they’ve got. The target should be to go out and win every match. This should be viewed as an opportunity to build confidence, get players fit and scoring goals again.

[linequote]So who else is thinking an unbeaten run is realistic and 18 points is achievable?[/linequote]

Hopefully with Brazil looming large, players make that extra effort to get fit and get sharp, and make things happen for themselves as well as Tottenham to get the fans back to believing.

Football never stands still and things are in motion now that will affect next season and future seasons to come. Sherwood for one will definitely be leaving if Ruud Gullit is right about Louis Van Gaal being tapped up by Levy.

I’m also sure that Van Gaal will find time between now and the World Cup to multi-task for Holland and Tottenham and take a look at these last six games to form opinions, start formulating tactics and prepare his shopping list for the summer, if his services are required.

So with one eye on the ‘now’ and the other eye on the future I think this is still an important period in Tottenham’s development and I therefore want to see six of the best from our talented squad to make up for recent bad behaviour!