Spurs Out of Slump?

            Across the past few games, the Tottenham Hotspurs have been under the weather to say the least. They have seemed to be very uninterested in staying in the competition, and that is what was expected again from fans as they took on Newcastle. Shockingly to everyone, the Spurs came out flying with a seemingly new excitement and rejuvenation. In the end, the Spurs took home a 3-1 victory, hopefully reinforcing their performance against Newcastle. Throughout the beginning of the game, the Spurs controlled all of the chances, holding the game to their liking. Then, they went ahead in the first half following a long range effort put in by Chadli. Then, they came out of the break slow, and they were punished when Colback scored within the first minute back. Following this, the game’s future looked grim, as both teams seemed content with a draw and took little initiative. Finally, Eriksen’s free kick went through the entire team and put the Spurs ahead again, reinstating the confidence they needed. After this, they controlled the game confidently and went on to score one more final goal.

            As for the meanings and implications of this outcome; they are kind of mixed results. First, it is good that the Spurs are (currently) back to some kind of form and are capable of winning a game and scoring goals. Manager Pochettino was able to organize his team, for this game at least, to focus and defeat their opponent. This also gives them a sure chance at qualifying for the Europa League. These results do come with another side, however, and not all is good in Tottenham. While they were able to beat Newcastle, that is barely worth mentioning in light of their recent performance. Newcastle has been playing with few expectations recently, rarely hoping for even a draw. They are even on the edge of relegation, and fans have definitely shown their dislike for recent performance. As to the Europa league, the Spurs have had mixed results in this as well. While they may qualify for the Europa, they then lose focus on any domestic league play, drawing away from what arguably matters more. They have had little luck balancing attention to both in the past.

            Although not all that can be taken away from this game is good, it was definitely helpful in the long run for Tottenham. This was a much needed win for the Spurs, and one can only hope that they can continue the performance that they showed tonight.