Thursday 19 November 2015 11:19, UK
Tottenham are impressing the neutrals but can they keep it up? We take a look at why it’s a pivotal time in their season…
The sight of Tottenham dominating the derby at the Emirates Stadium last time out sparked plenty of praise for Mauricio Pochettino and his methods. It was deserved. In the words of Gary Neville, Pochettino's men "ran all over Arsenal for 75 minutes" before having to settle for a 1-1 draw. The lost lead wasn't enough to dampen enthusiasm.
"He's now got a team out on the pitch that's reflective of him," added Neville, speaking on the Gary Neville Podcast. "It was a fantastic performance from a young team. From Pochettino's point of view, he will have a bit of a tingle because he can feel where he's taking this team. You can see the work that's going in on the training ground."
From Pochettino's point of view, he will have a bit of a tingle because he can feel where he's taking this team. You can see the work that's going in on the training ground.
Neville concluded: "If I was a Spurs fan I would gain great encouragement." Fellow Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson even tipped Tottenham for a third-place finish last week. Quite the claim from an ex-Gunner not famed for fancying their chances - especially given that Spurs haven't bettered that since 1963 and the days of Jimmy Greaves slotting them away.
And yet, any optimism about what is happening at White Hart Lane is understandable. Tottenham exude the air of a well-coached team. Pochettino is a details man. He is even believed to instruct his players in tackling techniques in order to retain possession on the transition. And Spurs have made 289 tackles this season, more than any other Premier League side.
As a result, Sir Alex Ferguson's infamous dressing room put-down - "it's Tottenham" - has never seemed less relevant to what's happening on the pitch. This is a feisty and hard-working team. Southampton's distance-covered stats were marvelled at during Pochettino's time on the south coast and he's succeeding in moulding Tottenham in a similar vein.
His players have outrun their opponents by a combined total of 54.5 kilometres across 12 games so far this season. They are averaging 4.5km more running than the other team. The likes of Harry Kane and Erik Lamela lead the press from the front and the rest follow. There is an intensity to their work that is making Tottenham a tough team to play against.
Kane has spoken in the past of the double sessions that Pochettino is fond of and the "times when you were pushing yourself to the limit" during pre-season. For the manager, the way his players perform on the pitch is all a product of that mentality. "It's not a miracle," he says. "They work hard from the beginning of the season."
Of course, the fact that the team faded with 15 minutes to go against Arsenal is a slight concern and there was an alarming susceptibility to the aerial attack. Pochettino pointed to the recovery time - it was their third game in six days - not as an excuse but as a source of pride. As he'd said prior to the game: "We are a very young squad and we run a lot, sometimes the effort that we make is a lot."
In light of this issue, the question worth asking now is whether or not Tottenham can sustain their style of play and enjoy success. The international break will provide a brief respite for some of the squad but Sunday's home game against West Ham begins a period of nine games in just 37 days until the turn of the year.
It's not that the opponents are particularly daunting. All seven of their Premier League games are against teams below them in the table. Five are against bottom-half sides, although that does include defending champions Chelsea. The key point is that we will find out rather more about the capabilities of this young group of players.
There will be the opportunity for some rotation in the Europa League given Tottenham's healthy position at the top of Group J. However, Pochettino has not made as many changes in that competition as might be expected. Indeed, on average, his European selections have featured more than seven of the same starting line-up that have gone on to appear on the subsequent Sunday.
It highlights the importance of continuity and momentum for Pochettino and he'll be hoping that counts in Tottenham's favour. They have now picked up 68 points from their last 38 games - form that would take them tantalisingly close to the top four come May and, perhaps pertinently, is two more points than Chelsea have picked up over that same 12-month period.
There is an air of excitement among Tottenham fans right now. But it's a feeling tempered by the knowledge that this season also represents an opportunity. With Chelsea in a slump and Liverpool in transition, there is a rare opening. This new Tottenham - Pochettino's Tottenham - now need to show that they can seize the moment and take their chance.
Tottenham v West Ham is live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 3.30pm on Sunday
