Take A Deep Breath, Everyone

Sat on my parents couch in their hometown of Damascus Maryland, there is one thought that is in my head following this game – this is not the time to panic. And in fact, this season as a whole may never be the time to panic.

This isn’t to say that we should not demand more of our side, and not to say that dropping another 3 points in such fashion will most likely ruin my entire week, but “panic” is not the appropriate response.

The term “panic” is thrown around so much in the media these days. Every team’s season, at one point or another, is described as in a state of “panic.” Excluding Chelsea so far, and maybe Southampton, almost every team has been described as in an early state of panic in this campaign.

Manchester United are in panic after losing to Leicester City and have never really escaped the aura of panic, the Scum are in panic after not competing with Manchester City, being (arguably) outclassed by us at home, and lacklustre European performances. Even Manchester City have been described as in a state of “European Panic” after slightly underwhelming performances against Roma and CSKA Moscow. And of course, Spurs are no exception.

I contemplated writing after last week’s loss at Manchester City, and prepared myself mentally to write an optimism-laced everyone chill the hell out type article stating the reasons why that was not the time to panic. And I still hold to that – following that loss, I felt no reason to panic.

[rightquote]The term ‘panic’ is thrown around so much in the media these days. Every team’s season, at one point or another, is described as in a state of panic.[/rightquote]

The officiating was almost the worst I have ever seen in any sport, the team played strong and stuck with one of the top teams in the league, on the road, until we were literally taken out of the game by a very harsh red card and left as nothing but Aguero food.

The lesson from the loss to City was that we are not in a position to be put into a panic state after losses to the top four. Results against the top teams is not what matter – at least not as much as performances do. Eventually performances will lead to points, but now is not the time to expect that. And again, this does not mean that we should not demand it of our team, but rather that we should not crucify our squad players and our manager for these types of losses.

At least, that was the lesson I had been playing back in my head all week as I read pessimistic and damning reports leading up to the fixture this weekend.

The first 45 minutes against Newcastle were some of the most satisfying I have seen Spurs play in the Premier League this season. The attitude surrounding The Lane made it seem this game was played directly off the back of the thrashing of Asteras on Thursday, and it translated both onto the pitch and onto my couch.

I was laughing, I was smiling, I was waiting to make jokes about how good Harry Kane looks in purple, and Spurs went into the half looking so damn good I couldn’t wait for the next fixture to see if we could continue our form.

And it seems the team fell into the same trap I did, and 45 minutes of infuriation, scarf-throwing, swearing, and nail-biting later, here I am seeping steam out of my ears.

Apart from the anger and pain that always follows any defeat, there is still a very prominent truth about Spurs. This team, this season, with these players, are about potential. They are about a long future ahead of us, full of silverware and glory. And along the way, there is sure to be plenty more glory to come.

[fullquote]This season is not about results, it has never been about results from the start. This season is about rebuilding, establishing a system that works after three straight managers with flawed systems.[/fullquote]

I find it very interesting how optimistic I have become, and how optimistic all of you readers view me in relation to the general Spurs fan base. Ask any of my friends or family how they would rate my attitude toward my sports teams, and they will without fail tell you stories of my pessimism and negativity and general unrivalled anger toward coaches, players, and teams as a whole that I cheer for in the States – be it the Redskins, the University of Maryland sports teams, etc.

With Spurs it is different, though. And sometimes I wonder why I feel so optimistic toward the team that arguably has let me down the most over the past years I have been a loyal Yid. I have come to the conclusion that Tottenham is not like any other fandom experience of my teams in the States, where they play for a period of three or four months, and in the off season I can still be considered a dedicated and loyal fan when my attention to the team is completely dormant. Sure, there are a few weeks of a free agency or signing period, a few trades or drafts, but these are things that require attention for a week or two at most. While the Redskins are rebuilding the team again in the off season, my focus can shift to the Capitals or to the Orioles, until yet again the cycle comes around and it’s time to cheer for the Redskins again.

Fandom of Tottenham Hotspur is a marriage. I have wed North London, and North London has said “I do” to me. This is a love that is prominent during all twelve months of the year, and like any marriage it requires a lot of work during that entire time. 38 two-hour periods of intimacy a year, with a few mid-week sessions a year. Those breaks where I don’t see my team for two weeks are living hell, and those weeks where I am lucky enough to spend six hours a week with them are pure heaven.

And I am able to stay so optimistic because I have faith that everything will work out in the long run, that in a few years or so there will be perfection – a cup run, a title run, a 3 match sweep of Arsenal in a season. But now, it is not the time to expect those things.

It is imperative that we remember who we are and where we have come from. Every time I read another damning and pessimistic article, I feel the urge to call up the writer and ask him “what was your attitude about the team at the start of the season?” I felt that the beginning of the season was one of the only times I have seen the fan base fully in the same state of mind, and it all stemmed back to the realisation that this year is not going to be our best season, so we should sit back and enjoy the displays of potential and the growth of our players.

[leftquote]Fandom of Tottenham Hotspur is a marriage. I have wed North London, and North London has said “I do” to me.[/leftquote]

This season is not about results, it has never been about results from the start. This season is about rebuilding, establishing a system that works after three straight managers with flawed systems. This is about reverting to Tottenham football at its base – glory above everything, winning the right way, and playing with fire and passion.

It is fair to say that Spurs have not played that way all season long. The performances against West Brom and against Sunderland are examples, and the match that just ended is not an exception. Is it unfortunate that we have put in a number of un-Tottenham-like performances? Absolutely. Is it completely infuriating to watch the lads play like this? Absolutely. But it is not cause to panic, not because we are so early in the season, but because we are so early in the new Tottenham regime under Poch. This is his team now, and if we want to have the glory that this squad has shown they have the potential to attain, we may have to endure a few more performances like these, grit our teeth through these hard times with the light of FA Cups and Champions League football shining in the future.

In these hard times, we must remember that is what this season has always been. We have known it would be like this since August, and we must not lose sight of it no matter how many amazing or devastating performances Spurs put in this season.

This is what we signed up for when we slipped on the Lilywhite wedding ring, and this is a rough patch we owe it to our partner to endure.