Tottenham in crisis? They’re right in the title race

JUDGING by some of the reaction to Tottenham’s Champions League defeat by Bayer Leverkusen, you might think they are on the brink of crisis. Are things really that bad? No. True, they have not won in the last six games, Mauricio Pochettino’s worst run since he arrived in England, but Tottenham have produced the standout performance of the campaign so far. Their victory over Manchester City, when they ran all over Pep Guardiola’s side en route to a 2-0 success, set the standard and showed what Tottenham can be about when Pochettino has them firing on all cylinders. The manager has had to juggle difficult circumstances recently, given he has been without the team’s top scorer, Harry Kane, and the best defender in the Premier League last season, Toby Alderweireld (left). But you also need to remember they are a young side and young players go through ups and downs. This is the first time many of them have been in the Champions League and can you remember how Manchester United and Arsenal performed when they first entered that competition 20 years ago? It was admirable that Pochettino refused to blame Wembley for the loss on Wednesday night but it is not Spurs’ home and unfamiliarity can unsettle players. Arsenal won just two of the six games they played there in the Champions League in 1998 to 2000. Would it be the end of the world if Spurs failed to advance? Again, the answer is no. The aim for Tottenham is to be Champions League regulars but, with them only being three points off the top, why can’t they push for the title? They will be in the thick of the fight and remember, they are the Premier League’s only unbeaten team. Should that still be true after they have faced Arsenal, the mood around Tottenham will change completely.