Are we on the road to greater things now?

FA Cup Semi-Final Manchester United 2 Tottenham Hotspur 1 and what is next?

Usually, we would be discussing this match, but I would like to go in a different direction. This result and the City game shows us how far we are behind the top teams. City have beaten us twice and won the league, United have beaten us twice (we did, however, beat them at Wembley in the league), Arsenal were beaten at Wembley, but we lost on their ground; Liverpool was the only top team where we stayed undefeated against. Everybody knows the Chelsea results. But to be a top-four team we must do better against the big boys, in fact, we must do better when facing some of the teams below the sixth position as well.

Now; we are hoping to finish in the top four unless we blow it and allow Chelsea to sneak in. But if we don’t then our season will be a disaster and what will we take to our new stadium but second-class European - Europa - football.

Now I have said continuously that Spurs are a top sixth club, nevertheless, where we have ended up in the top four is where we have punched above our weight or one or two of the top teams have had an offseason. Chelsea’s form has dropped this season and as for Arsenal, they’ve been performing the last couple of years poorly. United have had their offseasons as well. The same could be said for Liverpool, who have been out of it for a while and only started fighting back (and spending well) in the last couple of seasons.

So, let us say that Chelsea and Arsenal pick up form next season (and don’t forget that both teams will have new managers) and that City, United and Liverpool continue where they left off from this season? Where does it leave us? Are we capable of challenging for a top-four spot then? All the top five clubs will have more money to spend, while we have a stadium to pay off. Of course, we could get lucky, like Leicester City did and win the league, but I doubt it. Then there is the issue of the players; will they stay for another season while Pochettino brings in new players and rebuild the failures of this season?

And what are the capabilities of our manager? He has been seen as a raw talent and other clubs want him. But he hasn’t won anything while he’s been the manager. The best he has achieved is top four spots. That is ok while one is building one's base but beyond that? Should we give him more time, seeing as we are going to need to pay off our new stadium and Pochettino likes building with young players (which can be got on the cheap; i.e. homegrown talent); this situation is ideal for Daniel Levy, at least for the moment. On top of all that we have to fill the stadium, the first season should be ok for that. But beyond the first or couple of seasons and nothing to show for it? What will our plans be? Will there be a time when Daniel Levy and the board realise that to compete with the top 5 clubs they will have to invest and invest heavily or fade back to Europa league football and occasionally one of the domestic cups?

Talking to Spurs fans after the game they showed their anger towards different parts of the Spurs set up. To cut a long story short the gist of their rage was over Pochettino, the prices they charge for season tickets but nothing to show for it on the pitch, Daniel Levy being tight and no direction. But what will they eventually do about it if this happens year after year? Will the say enough is enough and just stop going? I know a lot of supporters of big clubs who have turned their back on Premier league football and the vast amounts of money and are going to watch local football.

As for the Saturday match; Kane showed he wasn’t 100%, Vorm shouldn’t have played and Pochettino should have gone with his regular keeper unless he thought that Lloris was no longer favourite, but if that was the case then Vorm should have been playing instead of him in the league. Always pick your best players. I think Kane should have been dropped and Son played up front. Mousa and Toby will be gone. Mousa is a great player, but bad tackler and then there is his age. He can be up and down on occasions. Toby won’t sign a new contract so will be sold at the end of the season. As for the others, the younger ones will probably need a few more years (like Dier and Alli). Others have question marks over their heads.

So there you have it. We no longer are playing in the sort of football environment that Levy envisions, but whatever way we look at it something has to happen otherwise we just float up and down, always the Brides Maid, never the Bride.

As for the match; we lost, no matter how well we played or didn’t play, or how much possession we had… it is all about the final result and the silverware. Spurs for years have been underperforming and nothing to show for it since we last won the FA Cup in 1991 (ignoring the Micky Mouse League Cup). And that was a year of problems for the club and Gazza being injured and directors infighting amongst themselves. Compared to now where we are supposed to be in calmer waters.

A new stadium will need new ideas and hope for the future. Just getting bums on seats won’t pacify anybody. You can’t be at the top then comparing yourselves with the elite if you can only offer titbits, honeytraps and illusions. Eventually, those that are paying high prices for their seats will start to twig that they are being fleeced for nothing in return other than high food prices and modern luxury amenities.And you can get that by going to the local brothel for half the price (and, no, I am not talking from experience, but from those that have eulogised in drunken moments of craziness and frankness).

Conclusion: I accept that at the moment we have to stay with what we’ve got, because of the expense of paying for the new stadium. But eventually, Daniel Levy will have to stand up and come clean. What will his intentions be once we are free of debt? Continue as we are or put our heads above the parapet and start competing with the big boys and stand proud. Or be like the West Ham boys with little to dream about other than the odd occasions of wanks for their satisfaction (maybe a pinned photo of Karen Brady to help them on their way… no wonder they say it stunts your growth, as the dwarf said to the giant). Premier football has become a high stakes game and Levy wants to be up there, but without paying high wages. That isn’t going to work.

All the best, Don Scully