Won't let go
I didn’t blog after the last game. Newcastle at home, 1-0. Another late late show. My nerves were shot whilst I kept whispering to myself ‘never in doubt, never in doubt, never in doubt’, licking away the foamy saliva from the corner of my mouth. Oh Tottenham, you big tease, making me fearful of dropped points. Never in doubt though, right?
Spurs stretching to the limitations of their squad, injuries and all. No signings, worn like a badge of honour. The very same limitations that allow us to retain expansive dreams. No Harry Kane, no Dele Alli. No problem. Well, sure, there’s problems but mettle, resolve and belief can’t be questioned. Considering we are never expected to be sat where we are, many get clouded suggesting we could or should be doing even better. That’s a fair perspective in terms of ambition. In terms of reality? We are over-achieving even if it’s tinged with under achievement (potential?) when comparing us to something we can not yet be. I love it. Literally points off the teams that are meant to be miles ahead of us. Every season, it’s repeated. Enjoy the ride, enjoy the journey.
As for our latest anchor in the top three, I guess if you drown yourself in xG stats, you’d say we got lucky against Leicester City. Them the breaks. I’m still laughing at Vardy’s sub and his first touch penalty. Hugo Lloris making more than one vital save whilst the visitors spurned chances and we skipped off-key in the opposite direction.
Sanchez scoring ‘early’ (with this first goal for us) and then Eriksen silking it in for 2-0 (immaculate assist from Llorente) after Hugo’s heroics was enough. Spurs impactful when it mattered. Son’s super counter from Sissoko’s visionary assist (don’t playa hate) was deliciously ironic, just when an equaliser looked on for the Foxes. Sonny not having to worry about offside, a lovely bonus to end the game on. Never in doubt.
For all of City’s solid pressing and decent football (the one Vardy did get was from a superb bit of play), they got slapped down. No depth yet here we are. Five points off the top of the table. It’s impossible and improbable, mathematics aside, to think we’ll win the league. We’ve lost six games this season already. Not drawn a single one. This particular stat has fuelled us ahead of the chasing pack. Fine margins are enough for us to persist with perpetually chasing the dream. City and Liverpool are less likely than us to drop points in the coming weeks. Maybe. Possibly. You never know right? Even if you can already guess the likely outcome, it’s the hope that only football can birth and kill that gives you a little buzz of anticipation.
What if?
We’ve still got to play Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool away. Nine points that are everything. Kane and Dele might produce enough spark to reignite a more free flowing convincing Pochettino style of aggressive forward play. Until then, we keep doing just about enough. We keep pushing. We keep believing and we enjoy the f**k out of it.
We won’t let go.
Say what you want about Daniel Levy, Mauricio, any given scapegoat in our side…here we are. 26 games played and ‘still in it’.
Won’t let go.