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Tottenham Boost Hopes Of European Football
After a rather meek showing against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final, Tottenham certainly needed to answer the critics that have only become louder in voice as of late and although those same critics will look at Tottenham’s most recent opponents as reason not to get all that excited, the same dampening of mood will not have taken place within the Spurs camp.
That’s because Premier League basement side Sheffield United travelled to North London on Sunday night and although the hit Television series “Line Of Duty” may have been the biggest talking point of the night, a win over the Blades will have also been reason to generate plenty of column inches.
If only because Gareth Bale reminded everyone just what he is capable of when given the opportunity and with the Welsh forward bagging himself a hat-trick against the Blades, many supporters will be asking themselves “what if?”
What if, the Real Madrid loanee was given more opportunities in the league this season and had former manager Jose Mourinho been willing to start the former Southampton starlet, then who knows the Portuguese coaching icon may still be in employment.
However, we know that is no longer the case and with the Tottenham board taking the kind of gamble usually seen when playing free casino games, it is now Ryan Mason who has been installed as manager until the end of the season.
The former Tottenham midfielder may have been outfoxed by Pep Guardiola at Wembley recently, but as far as Premier League output goes he has managed to oversee back to back wins and although the club may be the outsiders when it comes to a top four finish, hopes of playing in next season’s Champions League are not over yet.
Hopes that may well increase if results can go their way elsewhere and if Tottenham are to somehow grab an unlikely top four finish, then such a feat will not be clinched until the final day of the season.
That’s because they travel to Leicester in third and although the Foxes are currently seven points clear of Tottenham, Tottenham only need to erode that gap down to three before kickoff at the King Power Stadium.
If and it is perhaps a sizeable if, Tottenham can at least create some form of winner take all scenario in the East Midlands, then at least they will have a hope of doing what even a few days seemed the unthinkable.
Then again, if we’re honest and we look at how they’ve played across the course of the campaign, asking Ryan Mason to win all six of his league games at the managerial helm could be a rather tall order and although he will do his upmost to achieve such a feat, one wonders if the players can do their part of the bargain.
