- Jun 29, 2007
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One of Tottenham's biggest aims over the last 15 years or so has been to qualify for the Champions League. We have succeeded with this task 5 times in total, once with Redknapp and four times in a row with Pochettino. While these seasons have been largely successful, it's only really in 2009/2010 where we have 'won' a top 4 race. The other times we were comfortably a top 4 team and were in a title race (15/16 and 16/17) or we lucked out due to the failure of others like 18/19 where we finished 4th despite only winning 3 of our last 12 games.
We know that our record in semi-finals and finals is bad, but the number of times we've been unable to capitalise on a good league position is exceptionally poor. I've highlighed 8 seasons below where we have had a good position towards the latter end of the season, and where we've failed to accomplish our goal 7 out of 8 times (2009/2010 being the exception). In all but one we are fighting it out for a CL spot, and the outlier is the Leicester season where we went for the title. In these seasons, I've taken a snapshot of a promising league position where we've failed to sustain our good performances throughout the season.
This thread isn't trying to doom and gloom or to highlight the boring Spursy narrative, but more a realisation that we have rarely been able to deliver come the business end of the season and that this stretches across many managers and player squads.
2005/2006 (Missed out on CL)
- Spurs beat Blackburn 3-2 on 5th of March 2006 (Keane solo goal from a throw-in) which gives us a 5 point lead ahead of Arsenal with 10 games to go of the season.
- Spurs lead in the last NLD at Highbury, but Henry equalishes in the 84th minute which keeps Arsenal in the race for 4th.
- Spurs have it in their own hands on the final day but Lasagna gate happens at Upton Park and we miss out on a CL spot.
2009/2010 (Successfully qualified to CL)
- Spurs lose against Sunderland away 3-1 on the 3rd of April 2010, which leaves us within 1 point of 4th placed Man City with 6 games left in the season.
- Spurs suprisingly turns up when it matters and beats Arsenal and Chelsea 2-1 at home, before clinching a CL place for the first time with a 0-1 win away at the Etihad.
2010/2011 (Missed out on CL)
- Spurs win against Sunderland away 1-2 after a Kranjcar winner on the 12 of February 2011, which gives us a 3 point lead ahead of Chelsea in 5th place.
- Spurs go on a really bad run at the end of the season (3W, 6D, 3L) and finishes 5th with 6 points up to 4th place.
2011/2012 (Missed out on CL football)
- Spurs beat Newcastle at home 5-0 on the 11th of February 2012 with Saha scoring his first two goals for the club. This gives us a 10 point lead ahead of Arsenal and Chelsea.
- In the next game Spurs lead at the Emirates 0-2 before losing 5-2 changing the lead from a potential 13 to 7 points.
- The Arsenal loss is the beginning of a terrible run (1W, 3D, 5L) which eventually sees Spurs dropping to 4th place and we miss out on CL due to Chelsea winning the final in Munchen.
2012/2013 (Missed out on CL)
- Spurs beat Arsenal 2-1 in the NLD at WHL on the 3rd of March 2013 after goals from Bale and Lennon. This gives us a 7 point advantage versus Arsenal going in to the final 10 games of the season.
- Spurs final run gives them (5W, 3D, 2L) and we lose out to Arsenal by one point after they go on a brilliant run (8W, 2D, 0L).
2013/2014 (Missed out on CL)
- Spurs beat Newcastle 0-4 with an Adebayor brace on the 12th of February 2014, which moves us within 3 points of 4th placed Liverpool.
- Spurs go on a bad run to finish the season (6W, 1D, 5L) which leaves us 6th in the table, 10 points away from the 4th spot.
2014/2015 (Missed out on CL)
- Spurs beat Arsenal in the NLD 2-1 on the 7th of February 2015 thanks to a Harry Kane brace which takes them above their local rivals and on the same points as United in 4th.
- Spurs end the last 14 games of the season with (6W, 3D, 5L) and they finish 5th with 6 points up to United who take the 4th spot.
2015/2016 (Missed out on PL title)
- Spurs beat Swansea 2-1 on the 28th of February 2016 and are title contenders, being only 2 points from league leaders Leicester with 11 games to play.
- Spurs lose away to West Ham 1-0 and draw to Arsenal 2-2 at home which starts an awful end to the season (4W, 4D, 3L). We finish with 11 points up to Leceister in 1st and 4 points down to United in 4th.
We know that our record in semi-finals and finals is bad, but the number of times we've been unable to capitalise on a good league position is exceptionally poor. I've highlighed 8 seasons below where we have had a good position towards the latter end of the season, and where we've failed to accomplish our goal 7 out of 8 times (2009/2010 being the exception). In all but one we are fighting it out for a CL spot, and the outlier is the Leicester season where we went for the title. In these seasons, I've taken a snapshot of a promising league position where we've failed to sustain our good performances throughout the season.
This thread isn't trying to doom and gloom or to highlight the boring Spursy narrative, but more a realisation that we have rarely been able to deliver come the business end of the season and that this stretches across many managers and player squads.
2005/2006 (Missed out on CL)
- Spurs beat Blackburn 3-2 on 5th of March 2006 (Keane solo goal from a throw-in) which gives us a 5 point lead ahead of Arsenal with 10 games to go of the season.
- Spurs lead in the last NLD at Highbury, but Henry equalishes in the 84th minute which keeps Arsenal in the race for 4th.
- Spurs have it in their own hands on the final day but Lasagna gate happens at Upton Park and we miss out on a CL spot.
2009/2010 (Successfully qualified to CL)
- Spurs lose against Sunderland away 3-1 on the 3rd of April 2010, which leaves us within 1 point of 4th placed Man City with 6 games left in the season.
- Spurs suprisingly turns up when it matters and beats Arsenal and Chelsea 2-1 at home, before clinching a CL place for the first time with a 0-1 win away at the Etihad.
2010/2011 (Missed out on CL)
- Spurs win against Sunderland away 1-2 after a Kranjcar winner on the 12 of February 2011, which gives us a 3 point lead ahead of Chelsea in 5th place.
- Spurs go on a really bad run at the end of the season (3W, 6D, 3L) and finishes 5th with 6 points up to 4th place.
2011/2012 (Missed out on CL football)
- Spurs beat Newcastle at home 5-0 on the 11th of February 2012 with Saha scoring his first two goals for the club. This gives us a 10 point lead ahead of Arsenal and Chelsea.
- In the next game Spurs lead at the Emirates 0-2 before losing 5-2 changing the lead from a potential 13 to 7 points.
- The Arsenal loss is the beginning of a terrible run (1W, 3D, 5L) which eventually sees Spurs dropping to 4th place and we miss out on CL due to Chelsea winning the final in Munchen.
2012/2013 (Missed out on CL)
- Spurs beat Arsenal 2-1 in the NLD at WHL on the 3rd of March 2013 after goals from Bale and Lennon. This gives us a 7 point advantage versus Arsenal going in to the final 10 games of the season.
- Spurs final run gives them (5W, 3D, 2L) and we lose out to Arsenal by one point after they go on a brilliant run (8W, 2D, 0L).
2013/2014 (Missed out on CL)
- Spurs beat Newcastle 0-4 with an Adebayor brace on the 12th of February 2014, which moves us within 3 points of 4th placed Liverpool.
- Spurs go on a bad run to finish the season (6W, 1D, 5L) which leaves us 6th in the table, 10 points away from the 4th spot.
2014/2015 (Missed out on CL)
- Spurs beat Arsenal in the NLD 2-1 on the 7th of February 2015 thanks to a Harry Kane brace which takes them above their local rivals and on the same points as United in 4th.
- Spurs end the last 14 games of the season with (6W, 3D, 5L) and they finish 5th with 6 points up to United who take the 4th spot.
2015/2016 (Missed out on PL title)
- Spurs beat Swansea 2-1 on the 28th of February 2016 and are title contenders, being only 2 points from league leaders Leicester with 11 games to play.
- Spurs lose away to West Ham 1-0 and draw to Arsenal 2-2 at home which starts an awful end to the season (4W, 4D, 3L). We finish with 11 points up to Leceister in 1st and 4 points down to United in 4th.
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