Lifeless, homeless Spurs need to give their stars a spark rather than a rest
TALK about fine margins. If Michael Oliver gives a stonewaller at the death and if, three days later, Mauro Icardi does not find the sweet spot five minutes from time, there probably is no inquest.
If Oliver sees Sadio Mane has kicked away Son Heung-min’s standing leg and if Icardi scuffs the most difficult of volleys, there probably is no deep scrutiny.
If Spurs complete an unlikely late comeback against Liverpool and, albeit undeservedly, draw two apiece and if they hold on to their one-goal lead in the San Siro, there probably is no forensic examination. But, while reports of Tottenham’s travails may be exaggerated, there is no doubt this run of three defeats highlights issues at the club. Issues not just on the field. The move into the new stadium (below) has become farcical. Spurs dismissed a detailed report from Construction News, suggesting it would not be ready until early 2019 and that the club might have to write it off for the season.
But Spurs have still not said when it will be operational and must have known a good while ago that a delay was inevitable.
And, if it was not going to be ready for the start of the Premier League season, they should have been told to play the entire campaign at Wembley.
It was a pleasant, but flat, atmosphere at Wembley against Liverpool last weekend, so why should Jurgen Klopp’s team benefit from that when Jose Mourinho will have to take his side to what might be a far more intimidating venue? (With the massive assumption it will be open by January 12, 2019.)
Wouldn’t everyone in the Premier League want to play Spurs at Wembley rather than a new base on White Hart Lane?
Apart from the threat to the integrity of the competition, the stadium saga must have a psychological effect on the
playing staff, even if it is only slight. Surely they would like to finally play in a place called home with its advantages.
It might give them a physical lift, which would be handy since the main observation about this mini-slump appears to be that most of them look knackered.
In many quarters, it was pointed out that seven of the starters in Spurs’ last Premier League match reached the World Cup semi-final stages.
That is true, although Mousa Dembele, Eric Dier and Danny Rose started just two games at Russia 2018.
The man who needs a rest most, it is widely suggested, is Harry Kane (left), but what he needed more was the team around him to be freshened up.
It was not a question of buying for buying’s sake and that Spurs have not lost any key players is always a plus.
But when Kane signed his sixyear deal in June, he can’t have imagined there would be no one new to bring an extra spark.
This is no time to write off Spurs. The fine margins might be in their favour soon.
But, once the stadium fiasco is sorted, Daniel Levy will have to rethink his transfer policy and Kane will need more world-class support.
Otherwise, it will not be a rest he needs – it will be a change.