Last night`s defeat to Liverpool

was just really the culmination of what has been a shocking 2019 if the truth be told. Yes it was nice to get to the final of the CL, and the semi-final of the League Cup, and eventually secure CL football for next season by finishing 4th. But the form since the New Year has been nothing short of shambolic, and carry that on into next season, and we will be looking at a mid table finish with the current squad.

After winning at Cardiff on January 1st, Spurs were sitting in 2nd place, just half a dozen points off the top of the table, still in all three cup competitions. Fast forward just four/five months to May and the end of the season, and Spurs barely scrapped into 4th position and were dumped out of both domestic cup competitions within the space of four days, and yet somehow manage to stumble ahead into the CL Final, and then had a complete no show in the final. Now OK not the worse season in the world some may say, but was it really?

Form since the turn of the Year

Prem
Cardiff W
Man United L
Fulham W
Watford W
Newcastle W
Leicester W
Burnley L
Chelsea L
Arsenal D
Southampton L
Palace W
Liverpool L
Brighton W
Huddersfield W
Man City L
West Ham L
Bournemouth L
Everton D

CL
Dortmund W
Dortmund W
Man City W
Man City L
Ajax L
Ajax W
Liverpool L

FA Cup
Tranmere W
Palace L

League Cup
Chelsea W
Chelsea L

So 29 games played 14 wins, 13 losses and just 2 draws. In the Prem it was eight wins, eight losses and two draws, which is pretty poor form however you look at it. I think the run to the CL Final has masked how the team has seriously regressed in 2019. Now is that down to poor team selections, injuries, no game plan, poor players, players losing form, constant rotation, playing at Wembley. I think it is probably a bit of everything if the truth be told. But I just don`t see it getting better as it stands.

Even more alarming is that the last dozen Prem games, Spurs W3 D1 L8, with the only wins coming at home against Palace, Huddersfield and Brighton. I mean that is seriously bad form. Just 10 points from the 36 points available!!!!!!!!! Even I had not realised it was that bad. Even worse than I thought. Not good.

New players in are an absolute must for next season. I personally would replace both full-backs, yes I know Rose is a fan favourite, and he plays OK, but he is nowhere at the level he was when we had Walker on one side and him on the other side. The Central Defence is still OK, although I think both Verts and Toby have peaked, and will certainly not be getting any better, I definitely think Sanchez has come back in next season. The midfield area is of great concern, are we really going to into next season, assuming Eriksen leaves, with Winks, Sissoko, Dier, Wanyama as our options? Serious upgrades needed there, perhaps a £150 million spend on a couple of new midfielders that will slot straight into the First XI.

Up front and our widemen. Kane is nowhere near the player he was of a couple of years back, still scoring, but he seems to have lost his pace and power with the injuries. He needs to stop dropping deep, and stay where he does his best work, in and around the penalty spot. Dele has been poor, not sure what to make of him, a spell out of the team may do him good, if not he probably needs upgrading as well. Son and Moura are another pair of what I call streaky players have one great game, then go missing for weeks. They need to be much more consistent, if they are to be considered regulars.

As for Poch, he needs to try to put a League Cup or similar in the Trophy Cabinet, before talking about winning the Prem and the CL, and stop with the constant rotation, it has been frankly a disaster, although with all the injuries he has some sympathy.

Anyway another season has ended, and I suppose the new stadium is a huge bonus, and the fact that we have CL again in it next season is commendable.

COYS





PS Yesterday there was an article on board saying this side could surpass anything the Double Team of 1961 did. I think we can put that argument to bed. This team could not hold a candle to that great team. The 1961 team was filled up with winners and truly great players.