Tottenham’s Tough Period Ahead

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As we now reach the final quarter of the season, it is fair to say that the fixtures take on a great deal of extra importance. Depending on the outcome, those set of results can have serious ramifications on the objective that any club is setting out to reach.

That statement certainly applies to Tottenham who once again find themselves at something of a crossroads in terms of just how this campaign could turn out. At one point, they looked like being true title contenders and now the feeling is a lot less rosy.

Back to back defeats to Burnley and Chelsea in the Premier League have now killed off their hopes of winning the title, with manager Mauricio Pochettino going as far to say that it is now ‘impossible’ for them to do so.

And because of those defeats they now have to worry about whether or not their place in the top four is at risk, especially as they have a set of seriously tough fixtures that they still have to contend with.

None more so than this weekend’s North London derby, a meeting that should they lose to Arsenal then the gap between the two arch rivals will have been eroded to just a solitary point and one that will give extra incentive to the Gunners to kick on and eventually leapfrog Spurs.

However, it’s not just the league that they have to deal with in terms of immediate concerns. Just three days later, they then have to go to Borussia Dortmund to complete the Round of 16 Champions League tie.

And although they are 3-0 up from the first leg and clear favourites to progress to the Quarter-finals, with the recent form that they are in and if they do suffer an additional defeat to Arsenal, then the German giants will undoubtedly be smelling blood in the hope of overturning that deficit.

Add into the mix the fact that they then have to travel to Southampton next Saturday. This is a fixture that although on paper will look more than winnable, at the same time it will certainly offer up an element of danger.

That’s because when teams are fighting for their lives at this point of the campaign, they all of a sudden become a tougher nut to crack and it is a tie that Tottenham will not be able to take lightly whatsoever.

Those fixtures mentioned above may well be tough, but unfortunately for Tottenham there are still tougher ones in store. Trips to Anfield and the Etihad are still yet to be negotiated and they could be season defining for a number of reasons.

If things go well for the Londoners and they rediscover their form, then they could play a serious part in regard to who goes on to win the title. At the same time, should they come away empty handed from both trips, then their Champions League hopes for 2019/20 will go up in smoke.

With a new stadium on the horizon, playing Europa League football there was not the dream that everyone envisaged. Now Mauricio Pochettino has to make sure that Tottenham don’t fall away in the final few furlongs and subsequently keep that Champions League new home hopes alive.