Three draws and a loss in Tottenham’s opening four fixtures leaves them languishing a fair distance from where a club of Tottenham’s size should be. A disappointing start to say the least. But all teams have bad starts to campaigns every so often, right? Yes, of course, take Chelsea this year for example. However, it was more important than you may think that the Lilywhites got their season off to the best of possible starts.
Now we have endured the mildly boring first international break of the season, Spurs return to action on Sunday against Sunderland at the Stadium Of Light. They will be travelling to Wearside with high hopes of coming home with three points, and their first win of the season.
However, although we can only focus on the next game which is at Sunderland, you cant help but look further into September at our fixture list, and take a guess at what campaign begins? Yes, the Europa League!
The annual tournament has brought Spurs nothing but bad luck, and although we have picked up the wins required to progress through the knockout stage, Europe’s secondary competition has had an awful effect on our form in the Premier League.
Games against Crystal Palace (H), Swansea (A), Bournemouth (A), Arsenal (A), Chelsea (H) and Swansea (A) all proceed Europa League group games, and a couple that jump out at you are Arsenal away and Chelsea at home, teams that we need to be challenging if we want to achieve our ultimate goal, a finish in the top four, although I am unconvinced from our showings so far that we anywhere near close to making it.
The loss to Manchester United on the opening day was an easy one to accept, and I was still feeling relatively positive after the opening day defeat. However, the 2-2 draw against Stoke was a bitter pill to swallow, and a match that we should be closing out and winning after taking a 2-0 lead.
The draw away at the King Power Stadium was also a little hard to take after conceding an equaliser barely a minute after Dele Alli’s first Premier League goal. And as for the game against Everton, it was a little frustrating to watch, another point on the board.
Due to the Europa League’s effect on Premier League form, it was crucial that Mauricio Pochettino’s men made a solid start to the new season, and three points from four games is hardly the perfect start.
Can Tottenham beat Sunderland on Sunday and go on to beat the curse of the Europa League?
