Pesky Canaries pick holes in Spurs Champions league ambitions

By common consent, this is the most exciting season probably in premiership history with a mere four points separating the top four teams. Spurs have tried their level best to be part of this party. Unfortunately, they haven’t quite looked the part this season. This defeat at the hands of Norwich City, while not terminal, makes a tough task (finishing in the top four) even harder as Spurs are now six points behind Liverpool with only 11 games to go.

The week had started with the Champions league regulars across the continent entertaining us with their usual dosage of high class football. Even in defeat, Manchester City and Arsenal (though it pains me to say this) played high calibre football. Watching Spurs suffer a depressing Europa league defeat at the hands of FC Dnipro (coached by former Spurs manager, Juande Ramos)on a dog of a pitch felt like a case of ‘after the Lord Mayor’s show’. Watching Gareth Bale score a spectacular 30 yard screamer as Real Madrid went top of La Liga on Saturday was a further reminder of better times past. Spurs needed someone to inspire them to great heights (Bale style) against Norwich but no one could step to that level.

Perhaps, playing on such a heavy pitch in an eastern European outpost only three days ago took its toll. After all, his hand forced by injuries, Tim Sherwood had to name seven of the team that started in the Ukraine in today’s starting eleven. Spurs looked lethargic as the Norwich City players were sharper and quicker to every ball as they harried their way to a crucial victory. So much for having one of the strongest squads in the premiership. Perhaps the endless speculation over Sherwood’s own future has affected his confidence and made him more cautious despite the good start he has made to life as a premiership manager.  After all, in a game we needed to win, against hardworking but beatable opponents, there was a case for reverting to his preferred four, four, two formation and playing two strikers. The bold fresh Sherwood who initially took over from the sacked AVB probably would have done that. Incidentally, Spurs best period of attacking play in a largely forgettable match came when Roberto Soldado was introduced to partner Emmanuel Adebayor. While missing a couple of presentable goal scoring opportunities would have done little for his confidence, Soldado being upfront next to Adebayor makes the Spurs’ attack more varied and less predictable. Besides, given Spurs’ poor goals tally this season, going for goals seems a no brainer.

Admittedly, for a two striker formation to work effectively, two things need to happen. One of the strikers needs to drop deep and help out the midfield interchangeably. Both Soldado and Adebayor have shown an ability and willingness to do that. Secondly, the midfield needs to be really organised with a clear plan for attacking with the ball and defending without the ball. There has been no evidence of that in some of Spurs recent play, especially at Norwich. Nabil Bentaleb had a poor game by his recent high standards and perhaps needs to miss a couple of games to recover. Much of the game passed Paulinho by as he struggled to impose himself of the game. Perhaps he needs to sit in front of the back four for a while, not going forward and orchestrate Spurs’ midfield play from there. Mousa Dembele showed his usual good close control and dribbling skills, but his best work is  often done near the opposition box as his long passing is poor. Aaron Lennon played well enough without looking inspirational but perhaps he missed the outlet that regular right back Kyle Walker provides him.

Organizing the midfield four so that they attack as a coherent, well positioned unit and defend as a coherent, organised unit is the biggest challenge facing Tim Sherwood for the remaining eleven league games if Spurs are to have a realistic chance of gate crashing the top four and joining the Champions league party. Today was a bad day at the office and a setback but a six point deficit is not insurmountable. Tim Sherwood had estimated that Spurs could lose no more than 5 games to remain in contention till the end of the season. It is unlikely the teams above Spurs would lose half of their remaining fixtures between now and the end of the season. So Sherwood needs to reassess his target.  One of those teams, free scoring Liverpool currently occupy the 4^th spot, with a six point cushion to Spurs. It is vital that gap is not extended before Spurs play Liverpool in a potential ‘winner -takes- all’ clash at the end of March.

Such is the relentless pressure of chasing the holy grail of Champions league football. Watching the champions league games this week, this writer has to admit, it really is the only competition to be in. Chairman Daniel Levy would no doubt agree. He has made it his mission to make Spurs Champions league regulars and no Spurs manager is safe until Champions league football is on the menu at White hart lane and Tim Sherwood knows this. No pressure then.