Leicester City 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur
I was talking to a family member of mine the other day, a lifelong Spurs fan.
He has watched several football games over many decades and seen more betting odds offered than I can begin to imagine.
Granted, the odd football prediction he utters does surprise me, but perhaps he sometimes only comments to provoke a reaction from his young cousin (that’s me!).
Anyway, the gist of what he said amounted to:
‘It’s time for Spurs to get a new manager. They cannot get past the second tier level. They need a leader. Their record against top teams is lamentable.
Got to aim high James!’
While I agreed with his last point, I felt the others were very harsh indeed and told him so.
Remember, this is a side which, in the past month or so, has seen off the top team in the world, Real Madrid, put four past Liverpool and three past Borussia Dortmund.
Yes, there were defeats against Manchester United and Arsenal in that period, but Mauricio Pochettino’s boys can show their best against the big guns.
The fact they are effectively playing all season at a temporary home, while White Hart Lane is rebuilt, is a disadvantage that can’t be underestimated, and this term should almost be classed as something of a transitional period domestically.
Of course, this result at the King Power Stadium will only further cement the views of the man I call ‘Uncle Tom’.
Jamie Vardy’s 100th goal in league football and Riyad Mahrez’s decisive second on the stroke of half-time ensured the 2016 champions built up a lead Spurs couldn’t quite recover from.
Harry Kane – who else! – rifled one back and they went close to an equaliser on more than one occasion late on.
Indeed, Pochettino acknowledged the need for his side to ‘start better’ and knows there is a risk they could be out of the top six if results go against them within the next 24 hours.
But, hot on the heels of disappointing results against Arsenal and West Brom, a failure to take chances against Leicester – for whom Claude Puel is undergoing a quietly impressive job – should not mean the blame is placed firmly on Pochettino’s shoulders.
For here is a man who has done nothing but impress since taking the Spurs hot seat a little over three years ago.
A man who has brought a fluidity and vibrancy to turn Spurs into the top team in North London and back-to-back runners-up finishes in the Premier League.
On the night where the return of Erik Lamela from injury was the only real positive for the vanquished Pochettino, it should be remembered Spurs are in the middle of a spell of 12 matches in 43 days and this was their first league defeat in which Kane has found the net in 44 games.
Those who doubt Spurs and the progress they are making under their Argentinian coach should be careful what they wish for!
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