Author: drjaikan

On Canadiens: Bergevin sacks Julien to salvage the season and his job

After only eighteen games played this season, the Montreal Canadiens announced this morning that they have fired head coach Claude Julien and his beleaguered powerplay guru, Kirk Muller.

In the hours that have passed, a debate roiling around this decision is whether this is a surprise, and whether the Canadiens have been too reactionary to their latest string of poor results and have been unfair to Julien, who has been the coach for the Canadiens since February 2017.

It is hard to evaluate this decision without the appropriate context. Given the situation that the Canadiens find themselves in, a period in which they have lost six of their last eight games, and have careened down the North Division standings, I cannot say that I am too surprised. In fact, in discussions with other friends that support the Canadiens in recent days, this very situation was discussed. Ultimately, the decision arose from the fact that this slump is not an isolated event, and harkens back to similar happenings that Julien could not resolve a year ago.

This season, the Canadiens started the first ten games of the season 7-1-2, obtaining 16 points and keeping pace with the Toronto Maple Leafs for first place in the North Division. During that time, they played a swashbuckling brand of hockey; rolling all four forward lines, receiving balanced scoring (scoring 44 goals in that span) from all parts of the lineup, and completely suffocating their opposition with an aggressive forecheck and pace through the neutral zone.

The Canadiens have played with this pulsating, high tempo system on and off since the start of the 2018/19 season, and I wrote a post to share my excitement for how the team may finally sustain this physically taxing style over the shortened 56 game schedule.

As is often the case, the first ten games provided us with only a limited sample of what the Canadiens could accomplish. In those ten games in particular, the problem is that the Canadiens played the Vancouver Canucks five times.

The Canucks were unable to matchup against the Canadiens, and in many of those games, were completely overwhelmed, unable to deal with the Habs’ forechecking pressure. The Canadiens went 4-0-1 and outscored the Canucks 28-15. Through the sheer mental attrition of facing the same opponent so frequently in a short period of time, the Canucks were clearly worn out and demoralized.

The grandiosity that came from beating up the Canucks in such a manner, came to a crashing halt over the subsequent eight games, as the Canadiens have gone 2-4-2 (6 points), a span that has seen them lose three times to the lowly Ottawa Senators. Most concerning of all is that the Canadiens dominant style of play, where they play with pace, balance, an aggressive forecheck, and on the front foot has given way to a more reactive, less aggressive (shooting more from the point) and more mistake prone game (2nd most penalized team in the league), that has been compounded by subpar special teams (20th ranked powerplay, 22nd ranked penalty kill) and below average goaltending from Carey Price.

In the end, Marc Bergevin was forced into making this decision today. Bergevin has been at the helm of the Canadiens since the end of the 2012 season, and during that span, has made the playoffs outright only four times. If the Canadiens miss the playoffs this season, it will represent four straight season that the team has failed to meet this minimum expectation (NOTE: last season’s bubble playoff is hard to count as a playoff appearance, considering the Canadiens were considerably behind the 8th seed in the East when the season was suspended). Although Bergevin has earned plaudits for his trades over the last few seasons, this abject record is a difficult one to justify, especially in a market that was once accustomed to winning and celebrates how high the standards are.

Given the overall level of mediocrity, it is conceivable that if the Canadiens miss the playoffs this season, that Geoff Molson will finally fire Bergevin in the end (of note, Bergevin is signed until the summer of 2022).

Since the disastrous season of 2017-18, Bergevin has led the Canadiens down a great “reset,” restocking the club with young players and draft picks, and the Canadiens once again have the highest number of draft picks of any team, in the upcoming 2021 NHL Draft. Yet, while restocking his cupboard has been a priority, Bergevin is also in the precarious position of having to “win now”, as both Carey Price and Shea Weber, his two highest priced players, are rapidly nearing the end of their peak performance years (though many skeptics contend that both are well past their expiration date already).

After last summer’s performance in the bubble, where the Canadiens defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins to advance to the playoffs, and where they put up a strong six game struggle against the Philadelphia Flyers, Bergevin strengthened a team that looked capable of competing. He added pieces to reinforce the team, in bringing in scorers Josh Anderson and Tyler Toffoli, depth on defense in Joel Edmundson, and a goaltender that could truly give Carey Price some rest, in Jake Allen. It was also expected that centres Nick Suzuki and Jesperi Kotkaniemi were ready to build on their strong performances in the bubble.

Reasonably, the expectations for the Canadiens were raised, and many prognosticators projected that the team would compete with the Maple Leafs for the top spot in the North Division. It all started well enough, the pomposity was in full force, but that has all but since deflated over the last three weeks.

Bergevin’s decision to fire Julien needs to be understood in the context of what happened last season. After barely missing out on the playoffs in the final weekend of the regular season in 2019, the Canadiens started the 2019-20 season reasonably well, posting a record of 11-5-3 in their first 19 games. On the night of their 19th game however, they lost both Jonathan Drouin and Paul Byron to long term injuries, and the Canadiens promptly lost their next eight games in succession.

The team would lose eight games in a row for a second time, in a period just after Christmas, and it derailed any aspirations that the team would make the playoffs. Of note, the team lost all four games last season to the worst team in the league, the Detroit Red Wings.

Those eight game stretches were difficult, and it seemed that the team played well in parts, but not well enough. Aside from replacing injured players in the lineup, Julien made very little changes, and was unable to conjure a response in any manner that could have salvaged the season. The play became static, bereft of the speed and control that marked the team’s high point, and the special teams continued to lag. By the time he did, the Canadiens were lapped by their rivals in the Atlantic Division, and could never recover.

Fast forward to this season, and the same “negative energy” (as labelled by captain Shea Weber) and lack of response has been spiraling around the Canadiens. Last night, with the Canadiens having lost five of their last seven games, and needing a more urgent performance against an objectively inferior and inexperienced opponent, found themselves dominated by the Ottawa Senators for the first 15 minutes, and trailing 2-0 (before Shea Weber scored in the 16th minute).

It was in sports’ parlance a “statement game,” and after being outshot 19-9 in the second period, to their credit, the Canadiens responded in the third, outshooting the Sens 12-4, and ending regulation with a 4-4 tie.

Ultimately the Canadiens controversially lost (a last second winner by Brendan Gallagher was ruled out due to a dubious goaltender interference review), and as they have been passed in the standings by the Oilers and the Jets in recent days, the pressure has been mounting. The system that they surprised and overwhelmed their opponents with is no longer novel, and the trend of taking more shots from the opposition blue line is alarmingly similar to how the Canadiens played during their eight game losing streaks a year ago.

The urgency feels even more intense this season, in a divisional format in which every game feels part of a zero-sum game, and every loss is doubly felt. Given the level of expectation at the start of the season, Bergevin truly felt this was an opportunity to conquer the Canadian division with a deep team, get a place in the NHL’s “final four” and mount a serious challenge for the Stanley Cup. Sitting on his hands any longer would have jeopardized that opportunity.

In the end, it is sad to see Claude Julien leave again (he was fired in 2006 by Bob Gainey, the general manager of the Canadiens at the time). Although over four years with the Canadiens, in this tenure, his teams were mostly mediocre in the standings, they performed well on 5 v 5 metrics, appeared to have some structure, but were sunk by atrocious special teams (26th in the powerplay and 29th on the penalty kill during his time) and the lack of an elite offensive star finisher.

In comes, Dominique Ducharme, a young coach who has been an assistant to Julien for the last two seasons, who has an excellent track record coaching in Canadian major junior hockey (with Halifax and Drummondville) and the Canadian World Junior team. Of course, without NHL head coaching experience, it will be a tall order replace a veteran like Julien, who brought structure to the Canadiens over his four years. Ducharme also inherits the same plagued special teams and struggling Carey Price that finally felled Julien.

If Ducharme can bring the Canadiens out of the struggle that they are currently mired in, he can salvage the season and we can all carry on. If he cannot, then almost assuredly, Marc Bergevin will be joining Claude Julien as another casualty of 2021, for his repeated failures in leading the Canadiens to prominence.

Jaideep Kanungo

An ode to Kristian Jack

The news came across my Twitter feed last night as an absolute shock.

We learned that Bell Media in its typical, corporate rapacious manner eliminated more than 200 jobs yesterday, and that chief among those that were laid off included TSN’s lead soccer analyst, Kristian Jack. Kristian was an integral part of the soccer coverage at TSN over the last eight years, providing insightful analysis of MLS and Premier League matches and being a constant fixture on our screens during the summer tournaments that aired on the network.

Myself and the rest of the Canadian public was first introduced to Kristian in the mid 2000s, when he joined The Score, a network that ultimately turned into an indie-like creative hub for Canadian sports media. As his on screen duties increased, Kristian provided sterling soccer analysis with the always affable and jovial host, James Sharman. His rise in that role represented a coming of age moment for Canadian soccer coverage.

Until then, for the extremely avid fan, we were too frequently forced to locate a dodgy stream from the nether regions of the internet to watch every match, and relied on various European podcasts to provide the analysis that we craved (Football Ramble and The Guardian: Football Weekly, chief amongst them). Finally with Kristian and James, the sport was made accessible for the masses, with multiple games on television every week from the various European leagues, and Canadian based commentary that was smart, funny and relatable. It was an enjoyable and formative experience to watch the matches at local pubs (who did not require an expensive cable package or foreign satellite service) and then collectively listen to Canadians (though both Kristian and James are Brits, they in essence identify as Canadian) who provided such keen analysis.

Eventually, James and Kristian started their own podcast, and along with Brendan Dunlop and producer Thomas Dobby, they participated in a reverential weekly podcast entitled The Footy Show. Much like other football podcasts around at the time, the show based its discussions around matches that were played in the previous weekend, and about what to look forward to in the week ahead. However, the program eventually became more than that. For many, the banter, the quips, the lingo, all helped to establish and foster a football culture in this country. Perhaps its greatest legacy is that it contributed to making us “football literate,” and a step closer to the obsessed fans in other parts of the world, that we aspired to emulate.

Though The Footy Show did not exist in the mainstream of Canadian sports media, it created a shared community, language and love of the game for those that took the time to listen.

In particular, it was Kristian’s knowledge of the game that shone through the course of the program. While the other contributors were knowledgeable, passionate and provided their own brand of smart and acerbic humour, Kristian brought the show a particular gravitas and depth that allowed the podcast to be enjoyed by even the most sophisticated and discerning football fan. He was clearly a student of the game, spoke authoritatively about its history and introduced Canadian listeners to some of the brightest minds around the game. The podcast had esteemed guests, such as the excellent Nicky Bandini and Andy Brassell, and introduced us to outstanding and avant-garde publications like The Blizzard and books like Soccernomics.

Kristian’s depth of knowledge was also exemplified every year when he compiled the Christmas Quiz, an annual review of sorts of the year, which included an exploration of the minutiae and lighter aspects of the sport. He culled information from the heavily marked notebooks that he scrawled facts and stats in over the years (as an aside, this is a practice that yours truly has been inspired to partake in, since Kristian first described his methods many years ago). It truly was a highly anticipated episode every year, and the listener felt like they were immersed in a cozy pub, seated next to the fireplace, as they too attempted the questions put together by the expert quizmaster.

When Kristian moved to TSN, and the other members of The Footy Show moved into new roles in their careers (Sharman as a television host at Sportsnet, Brendan Dunlop as an anchor on Sportsnet Central, and Thomas Dobby as a producer on Tim and Sid) it abruptly marked the end of the podcast. However, Kristian’s move to TSN was the next step in his development as a savvy football pundit, one that could bring his array of talent and expertise to the mainstream.

In the beginning, TSN shared Premier League rights with Sportsnet and aired multiple games each weekend (over its five channels). The Canadian soccer fan truly never had this degree of choice, and all the matches were made to feel highly relevant with Kristian providing tactical analysis at half time and after the games. It came at a time when tactical analysis became a de rigueur aspect of our day to day football experience, especially after the publication of Inverting the Pyramid by Jonathan Wilson in 2008, and the popularization of the Zonal Marking blog by Michael Cox in 2009. Managers and their tactics became more of a talking point than the actions of any individual player, and suddenly, being a “knowledgeable fan” meant having to be an expert on the formations, shape and strategies being employed.

For a Canadian viewer, Kristian Jack absolutely excelled at this. Unlike with Wilson and Cox, who we had to wait until the next day to read, Kristian’s tactical analysis was at half-time or immediately post match. His use of the tactical camera angles, and his concise descriptions helped communicate seemingly complex patterns to the viewer (either casual or football-literate) in a manner that was understandable and made wholly evident. His knowledge and how he communicated it helped encourage a dedicated group of followers to seek an understanding of football at a more detailed level. This made the coverage even more enjoyable, whether it was an early season MLS match or a World Cup semi-final.

The news of Kristian’s layoff was devastating for Canadian soccer fans and it gave the impression that Bell Media (and TSN) had a blithe disregard for the sport and the analyst that continually brought an extra level of quality to the broadcast.

The news is yet another harbinger of dark clouds for soccer coverage from the mainstream media in this country. In recent years, both Rogers and Bell have gutted their soccer divisions (over the last two years, after losing Premier League, Rogers laid off Sharman, Craig Forrest and John Molinaro). These malevolent and monolithic corporations control the mainstream sports media in Canada, and as of right now, neither possess an analyst that can talk about soccer with any degree of authority or expertise.

This comes across as surprising, as soccer has enjoyed a true upturn in popularity over the last decade, as Canada hosted the 2015 Women’s World Cup, Toronto FC rose to become an MLS powerhouse and Alphonso Davies became a worldwide phenom. Additionally, the Canadian Premier League was launched to complement the three MLS clubs, and oh yes, Canada was awarded hosting duties for the 2026 FIFA World Cup (alongside the United States and Mexico, of course).

Yet in spite of these advances, elite football has become less mainstream over the last several years. The Premier League and the Champions League have both moved behind a paywall streaming service, DAZN. While it is nice to have access to every match of these competitions at our fingertips, in the past, when these matches aired on TSN or Sportsnet, should something incredible happen, you could alert your “casual” friends, and tell them to tune in. Now, behind a paywall, the casual fan who may have a passing interest in soccer, is completely shut out. Subsequently, these leagues get little to no coverage on TSN or Sportsnet highlight programs, and have truly been pushed to the fringes for the casual fan.

Furthermore, the sense of local community that was created around these leagues has been eroding. The analysis provided by Kristian and his most recent partner, Steven Caldwell, gave the impression that the matches, although distant and foreign, were still important for a Canadian audience. It helped assuage your feelings of isolation and the sense that your interests were too niche. There is indeed a community of like minded individuals around you that also watched these matches, and enjoyed the commentary.

Having lived previously in Toronto, I experienced this sense of community frequently. The Footy Talks events brought together Canadian football experts, where you could expect a night of terrific banter, incisive football analysis and genuine audience interaction. I always envied the fans in England could gather with the top journalists at similar events, put on by The Guardian or The Totally Football Show, and ask questions and interact in a casual setting. To experience that here in Canada was quite surreal and liberating.

Nowadays, Premier League matches on DAZN provide us with a “world feed” that have a cadre of former players that provide generic, if inoffensive punditry. It also feels anti-septic, cold and foreign. Even worse, there is no half time analysis for the Champions or Europa League matches on the streaming service. While it is true that as paying subscribers we receive unprecedented access to all the matches, the lack of trappings that we were accustomed to previously with Kristian and his colleagues, makes the experience less grand and gratifying.

It remains puzzling that both nefarious and distant telecoms would axe its soccer divisions, in a time where they continue to hold rights to big soccer properties. TSN still has the rights for MLS and the upcoming Euro 2020 tournament. Who do they anticipate will cover these broadcasts, when they have axed all the best people? Why have they invested in these properties, without investing in the people that help make it all matter?

Kristian was a massive credit to the Canadian soccer community. On top of his exceptional broadcasting, he is a true community builder, as he hosts an annual charity tournament, and he remains a true class act on social media. I have no doubt that his knowledge base, passion and sterling reputation will certainly allow him to find work again in another big platform (OneSoccer perhaps?). However, by pushing him out of the mainstream, Bell Media has delivered a destructive blow to the sport and the rising number of fans that Kristian helped inspire.

Jaideep Kanungo

On Canadiens: Early season success owes to a deep forward corps

We have certainly been here before.

As fans of the Montreal Canadiens, we are not unfamiliar to our beloved club starting the season off with a searing pace. We are collectively turned into chest thumping optimists, replete with incidental facts that somehow tie this current iteration to the teams that lived through the unexpected glories of 1986 or 1993. The day dreaming of a long coveted Stanley Cup parade down Rue Ste-Catherine, makes us glance ahead into our calendars to June, to ensure that we will have the free time to attend.

We went through this in 2015, when after a Hart and Vezina Trophy winning campaign from Carey Price, the Canadiens won their first nine games of the season. The following year, the Habs were 9-0-1 before losing their first game in regulation (which history will also remember, as it arrived in the form of a 10-0 loss to the perpetual cannon-fodder that are the Columbus Blue Jackets).

In each of those years, the team’s sheen and place in the standings eventually faded, the Canadiens were besieged by some misfortune (an injury to Carey Price, or a complete level of underperformance which led to the firing of a coach midseason) and the season ended as it always does (for the last 26 years at least)… in disappointment.

Yet somehow, this year feels different. A cynic would be absolutely right in noting that we say this every year, but somehow this season actually does feel different.

The Canadiens have surged to 10 points after six games, and are tied for first place atop the North Division with the heavily favoured Toronto Maple Leafs. They have yet to lose a game in regulation time, have yet to be outshot in regulation time, and currently sit first in the league in ‘goals for’ in the entire NHL (18). They are 4th in the league for team CF% (54.7), an area that they have remained strong since the start of the 2018-19 season. All of this has been accomplished without the team playing a single game in Montreal.

In previous years, one could point to the towering bulwark that is Carey Price, and pin the team’s success solely on the work of their star netminder. Yet, thus far this season, Price has not been at his quintessential best. Price and his backup Jake Allen (who has featured in two games) have a combined 5 v 5 save percentage of .913, which sits firmly around league average. In truth, both netminders could have made saves on some of the goals that they have conceded so far, but uncharacteristically, the Canadiens’ impressive offensive numbers have made this less essential.

Also uncharacteristic is that the team has been mired with a streak of indiscipline, having been penalized 28 times, which is 3rd most in the league. The Canadiens took nine penalties on 21 January in Vancouver, a day after the team took six against the Canucks. That evening, coach Claude Julien spent much of the post game conference espousing how the team had to be much more disciplined. For a team that plays much of the game on the front foot, and dictates the pace of play, this fact is somewhat astonishing. One could reasonably expect, that this issue can be improved upon as the season progresses.

Ultimately, what has given the Canadiens the ability to open the season with such verve has been the balanced contributions of the Canadiens’ four forward lines, in terms of point production and distribution of work load.

The steady trio of Phillip Danault, Tomas Tatar and Brendan Gallagher has been well documented as being the lynchpin for the Canadiens’ attack in the two previous seasons, but this year, the growth of Nick Suzuki as a legitimate playmaking, and reliable two way centreman (flanked by Jonathan Drouin and Josh Anderson), and the emergence of Jesperi Kotkaniemi (who plays alongside Joel Armia and Tyler Toffoli) as a solid NHL player has given the Canadiens’ offense a level of depth that they have not had in decades.

All three of these lines have proven that they can play in all situations, and are in the the positive ledger of puck possession at 5 v 5, with Danault demonstrating a CF% 55.5, Suzuki 53.2 and Kotkaniemi 61.1% (stats via Natural Stat Trick). On a nightly basis, the Canadiens have also had different offensive stars emerge and carry the burden.

Against Toronto on opening night, it was the speed baron Josh Anderson (two goals) and nifty playmaker Jonathan Drouin (3 assists) who provided the offensive thrust. In two games in Edmonton against the Oilers, Jeff Petry and Tomas Tatar each scored twice, the Canadiens’ scored two short handed goals (from Artturi Lehkonen and Jake Evans) and saw the first goal of Alexander Romanov’s burgeoning career. In three games in Vancouver against the Canucks, the team was led by the offensive explosion of Tyler Toffoli who notched five goals in the first two of those games, against his former club.

Not yet mentioned has been the emergence of the Canadiens’ fourth line as a reliable and high energy trio. Jake Evans, in his second NHL season, has become a revelation and has been trusted by Claude Julien to provide key minutes on the penalty kill, and take defensive zone faceoffs. His linemates, of Artturi Lehkonen and Paul Byron, flank him with veteran presence, that gives coach Julien the confidence to not only play, but to control, regular shifts.

The Canadiens’ balance through their forward ranks is evidenced by the fact that Nick Suzuki leads in ice time with 17:33. Paul Byron is the least played forward at 11:53 (this also comes after he took a Shea Weber slap shot to his foot on 21 January, and missed the final half of the third period). Compared to North Division rivals Edmonton and Vancouver (who the Canadiens have faced in five of six games), the Canadiens forward corps usage is far more spread out. The Oilers have three forwards that play on average over 21 minutes each game (McDavid, Draisaitl and Nugent-Hopkins), while the Canucks have four forwards (Horvat, Boeser, Miller and Pettersson) that play more than 18 minutes.

For the time being, Julien has been able to exploit this advantage, as he has rolled four lines at regular intervals, ensuring that the Canadiens play with consistent pace and intensity. Over the last two seasons, the Habs have been at their best when they have been able to play with this aggressive forecheck/reload system, which allows the team to persistently harangue opposition defense with unyielding pressure, create turnovers, and pin their opponent in the defensive zone for several minutes at a time. Over the first six games, the Canadiens were able to suffocate their opponents in this manner, and particularly against the Oilers and Canucks, it completely demoralized them for subsequent game (s).

At the best of times, lacking discipline is a recipe for disaster. Not only is the opposition afforded a powerplay and an improved opportunity to score, but it also impedes with the flow of the game, and displaces many skilled forwards that do not contribute to the penalty killing efforts, away from a regular shift. When penalties stack up, teams can see their offensive stars out of the rhythm of the action for several minutes, and it threatens to throw all the line combinations out of sync. Although the Canadiens have had moments of penalties stacked upon one another this season, they have a full complement of forwards that can effectively kill penalties. Julien has used seven forwards on the penalty kill so far, using pairings of Danault/Lehkonen, Evans/Byron, Suzuki/Armia, with Toffoli as an extra. This has allowed the team to return to 5 v 5 play without a loss in vim.

The depth in the forward ranks has also ensured appropriate coverage for injury, which the Canadiens have unfortunately had to deal with in the past week. Joel Armia scored four points against the Canucks on 21 January, and had his best game of the season, but suffered a concussion in the closing moments from an egregious and unnecessary hit from the Canucks’ woeful defender Tyler Myers. In previous years, an injury of this magnitude to an important player that provides terrific effort on the forecheck, and work on the penalty kill, would have been a sizeable blow. However, the Canadiens replaced him with a decorated veteran in Corey Perry, who fit into the lineup admirably, generated a few scoring chances and scored in his first game. The Canadiens’ also have the peripatetic utilityman Michel Frolik and 2017 1st round pick, Ryan Poehling, in their reserves. These players continue to train with the team on a daily basis, as part of the travelling taxi squad.

Having played three of the six opponents that they will face over the course of this regular season, the Canadiens have proven to themselves that not only can they compete in the North Division, but that they have a decided advantage through the depth that they possess. This advantage manifests fully when the Canadiens play an opposition in back to back, or three in a row situations, as they physically and mentally overwhelm through their speed and intensity. Provided that they can remain healthy, the Canadiens should be able to use this advantage to its full extent as the attrition of this season mounts.

So in the end, while Canadiens fans have been here plenty of times before, standing atop the mountain after a handful of games, boasting that Lord Stanley will once again return to its eternal resting place, only to have those delusions end abruptly, this time surely feels different. For the first time in a long time, the Canadiens appear to be well built, and capable of coping with the duress of a long season.

Jaideep Kanungo

On Spurs: In awe of the sublime wizardry of Tanguy Ndombele

As an adult, being a sports fan can be an exercise in tedium and dross. Most of the time we devote to watching sports can seem mundane and rather unordinary. Yet, the reason we tune in regularly is that every so often, we are reminded of why we fell in love with sports in the first place. It can come through a fleeting moment that makes us feel something bigger than ourselves, or can arise through an action of incomprehensible genius.

For Tottenham Hotspur, recent matches have largely been tedious affairs, as manager Jose Mourinho has siphoned off the free flowing football that has long been the trademark of the club, and has replaced it with a more conservative and tepid version. Too often, Spurs look unimaginative, as they concede possession and rely on their brilliant duo of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min to exploit their opponents on the counterattack.

This stark conversion would be altogether tolerable if Spurs were consistently achieving positive results, yet that remains a contentious claim of late. While Spurs now sit fifth in the Premier League table after 18 matches, and only four points behind leaders Manchester United (who Spurs smashed 6-1 at Old Trafford mere months ago), Mourinho’s side that is now purportedly embedded with his “winning mentality” has bled away leads against inferior opposition five times this season after 70 minutes (most recently, last week at home to bottom feeders Fulham) and have lost 10 points from winning positions.

And yet, in the midst of this negative football, there remains many flickers of inspiration that make the entire watching experience somehow worth it. The brilliance of both Kane and Son individually, and as a combination, have been espoused on these pages before. But week in, week out, the other player that grabs your attention and replenishes your joy for sport is the dazzling French midfielder, Tanguy Ndombele.

Ndombele arrived at Spurs in the summer of 2019 as the club’s most expensive transfer (£55 million from Lyon), and spent much of last season trying to acclimate to the physicality and pace of the Premier League, amidst the tumult of a significant managerial shift and a three month lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

After a positive start in which Ndombele scored in the opening match against Aston Villa, the season progressively turned into a nightmare. Dealing with a string of hamstring and groin injuries, Ndombele completed 90 minutes for Mauricio Pochettino only four times before he was sacked in November.

Under Mourinho, Ndombele could never fully settle last season. After playing 90 minutes against Norwich at the end of December, he became an increasingly peripheral figure at the club. In the brief appearances he did make, he appeared portly and woefully out of shape (by Premier League standards of course), huffing and puffing after a few sprints, and unable to provide the defensive contributions that Mourinho seeks from his midfield players. Ignominiously, Ndombele was subbed off at half time against Norwich, in Spurs’ final domestic match before the coronavirus lockdown. He appeared lost and his transfer was widely panned as being a flop.

After football returned in June, there were rumours of a training ground dust up between manager and player, and genuine questions were raised in regards to whether Spurs were ready to move on from their record signing. Paris St. Germain and even Barcelona were reported to be interested in taking him on.

Fast forward to 2021, and here we are, the entire situation has turned. Ndombele has become an indispensable figure in Spurs’ attack, has taken on the mantle as the creative engine, and has left fans agog over the array of skills he has to offer.

The Frenchmen has an almost childlike bliss to his game, as he confidently flits around with the ball. It appears almost tied to his feet as he bamboozles opposition defenders, and launches his teammates into attacks with cheeky flicks with the outside of his boot. His complete control of the ball, his ability to juke and turn with it, gives me the picture of a young Tanguy, with the ball at his feet as he emerges from his bed, eats breakfast, walks to school, sits at his desk and goes about his day. Plain and simple, he is a wizard with the ball, and watching him provides us with moments every match that we simply thought were not possible.

One such moment came in yesterday’s Premier League match at Bramall Lane against Sheffield United.

Video should start with the Bergwijn/Ndombele interchange. If it does not, skip to 2:29.

Along with Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, Ndombele helped Spurs control the midfield battle for the first hour. At the 62 minute mark, he played a quick 1-2 with Stephen Bergwijn, and launched into the Sheffield United box. Taking the pass, slightly behind him, and with two defenders marking him out, Ndombele adjusted his body, fell back and hit an audacious chip with the outside of his right foot. The ball sailed over a helpless Aaron Ramsdale, and helped seal Spurs’ 3-1 victory.

The goal was quite simply, stunning. It was the best goal of Spurs’ season, and one of the best goals of the Premier League season. It was also wholly exemplar of the skill, panache and boldness that Ndombele demonstrates on a weekly basis.

Ndombele has rededicated himself at Spurs this season. He appears much leaner, more spritely and committed to the work that Mourinho demands, even contributing in the defensive phase, late in matches. His dedication has been rewarded as he has started 14 of Spurs’ 18 Premier League matches this season. Against Sheffield United, he completed the full match for the first time since that match against Norwich in December 2019.

Watching football every week can remain tiresome and feel perfunctory, and on many such occasions, you truly wish you did just about anything else to fill those two hours. Yet, the true artists like Tanguy Ndombele ensure that you tune in every week, because he is able to share some of that joy that he plays with and reminds you that football can indeed be fun and worthwhile.

Jaideep Kanungo

On Spurs: In praise of Dele Alli

For the players at Marine AFC, a semi-professional club plying their trade in the eighth tier of the English football pyramid, being star struck in their Third Round FA Cup fixture yesterday would have been rightfully expected.

Marine, through a series of heroic performances in the earlier rounds of the competition, earned the privilege of lining up against the relative Premier League giants of Tottenham. The match was the biggest mismatch in the 140 year history of the venerable competition (161 places separated the two clubs).

In spite of the gulf in stature, two time Champions League winning manager Jose Mourinho, dispensed a healthy dose of respect to Marine and the FA Cup competition, by starting a professional lineup, which featured multiple internationals and stars that played for Spurs in the Champions League Final less than two years earlier.

That list included the once prodigious Dele Alli, who you may recall, captured back to back PFA Young Player of the Year awards in 2016 and 2017, and who is currently mired in the most difficult season of his career.

The first 24 minutes of this Hollywoodesque match, played in a charming community stadium boxed by the back gardens of many residents (who came out with champagne flutes in hand, peering over and through their fences), provided some genuine drama. Spurs appeared tentative, adjusting to playing on the wobbly pitch, and Marine nearly pulled ahead, when a residential plumber named Neil Kengni, unleashed a speculative shot from distance that floated beyond Joe Hart, and clanked off the crossbar. It was an early shot across the bow. Gradually, Spurs awoke, took over the match and marched into the Fourth Round with a comprehensive and professional 5-0 victory.

In such a mismatch, the spectacle of the event became the attraction, rather than the quality of football on offer. That said, Mourinho and Spurs’ supporters should be heartened that at the centre of it all, Dele Alli was the engineer-in-chief, pulling the strings, gliding through the midfield and effortlessly playing 1-2s with various teammates in the breathtaking build up.

Indeed, it was Dele’s graceful runs and visionary passes that helped set up three of Spurs’ four first-half goals, all coming from the Brazilian striker, Carlos Vinicius. On the first, Dele played a crisp and tidy 1-2 with Gedson Fernandes, before playing the ball to Vinicius in front of goal. On the second, Dele lofted a ball onto right back, Matt Doherty, who volleyed a shot on goal, resulting in a rebound on which Vinicius rabidly pounced on. Finally, on the third goal, Dele once again played an elegant 1-2 with the young midfielder Harvey White, and found Vinicius near goal, who hit a chipped shot over a helpless Marine goalkeeper, Bayleigh Passant.

This effervescent version of Dele Alli is the one that Spurs’ supporters have seen flashes of in the past, most notably at the height of the Pochettino era of 2016-2018, but that has gone inexplicably missing this season. It has truly been a nightmarish season, as prior to this match against Marine, Dele had started only four matches in all competitions. In two of those matches, (v Everton in the first match of the Premier League season, and at Royal Antwerp in the Europa League) he was dispiritingly hooked off at half-time.

In his last start, in the League Cup Quarter Final against Stoke last month, Dele was arguably Spurs’ top player in the first half, looking spritely in his preferred number 10 role, the highlight of which came when he nutmegged Stoke’s hapless defender Tommy Smith on two occasions in the 26th minute. However, despite entertaining and energizing Spurs’ fans over those first 45 minutes, he was promptly admonished for his role in Stoke’s equalizer.

With Spurs firmly in control of the match in the 54th minute, in midfield, Dele tried to play an audacious flick, which was easily intercepted. Stoke’s speedy winger Jacob Brown quickly transitioned up the right flank, and put in an inch perfect cross to Jordan Thompson, and the game was level. For a manager that prides himself on defensive solidity and complete focus in all phases of the game, Mourinho simply could not tolerate this complete lack of judgement. Mourinho said after the match “for a player in that position, he has to link and create… not to create problems for his own team.”

Dele remained in the game another twelve minutes, but this point, his confidence had eroded. In the 64th minute, he was sprung on a counter, and had Kane and Lucas as genuine passing options within his sight, but the ball limply fizzled off his foot through a mix of hesitation and uncertainty. It was his last action of the match, and the last action of his miserable year. At one point, superstardom had all but seemed assured for Dele, but he saw 2020 close with only one non-penalty goal in 30 matches, and his assured place in the team, completely lost.

Part of this fall off can likely be attributed to the evolution of Spurs’ tactics over the last three seasons. Under Mourinho this season, Spurs have sat progressively more deeper, and are more reliant on the counter attack to create goal scoring opportunities. Under Mauricio Pochettino’s high press system, Dele looked most comfortable playing just behind Harry Kane, and being perched in the perfect position to unleash his outstanding playmaking tools. Yet, in a deep lying team, it is Kane that has taken on more of the midfielder playmaking role, as he tries to spring passes onto his blazing teammates in Son Heung-min, Steven Bergwijn and occasionally, Lucas Moura.

It is not to say that Dele cannot play for Mourinho at all. He did after all score four goals in Mourinho’s first four matches in charge last season. Yet as Mourinho continues to put his imprint on the team, and plays more matches with his defensive structure, there appears to be less space for Dele to play his free roaming game.

As Dele turns 25 in the coming months, and has seen himself fall out of contention for a spot in the England team in the upcoming European Championships, he surely will angle for a move to get more first team opportunities, in a system that optimizes his talents. Rumours of a loan move to Paris St. Germain have persisted since last summer, and took on more credence after PSG hired Pochettino as manager at the end of last month.

Personally, I would prefer that Dele remain at Spurs and fight for his spot in the team. Over the last several seasons, Spurs have had other players that were deemed as malcontents, and out of good graces and plans of their managers, destined for a move away. Moussa Sissoko was a figure of derision in the first season he joined Spurs, but through his hard work and understanding of Pochettino and then Mourinho, has been recast as an effective (though, inelegant) central midfielder. Although he is far from a perfect midfielder, he has become somewhat indispensable for the club.

Similarly, Tanguy Ndombele, who came to Spurs in the summer of 2019 as the most expensive player in club history, struggled through all of last season, and was thought to be back on the market last summer. Yet, through renewed commitment, mutual trust between he and Mourinho, has now become a regular fixture in Spurs’ starting eleven, and has arguably been the most eye catching player of the season.

Perhaps the positive memories that Dele made for myself and fellow Spurs’ supporters over the years is what makes us reluctant to move on from him. Although his most recent exploits were against an 8th tier side, the vintage performance offered a glimpse into his immense talent, the whimsical joy that he plays with, and the hope that he will do good again.

Maybe in the end, amid all the pixie-dust and “magic of the FA Cup” chatter, it was us who were star struck by that potential that Dele Alli offers.

Jaideep Kanungo

On Canadiens: Some excitement on the horizon amidst the darkness of the pandemic

This winter has undoubtedly been one of the most difficult periods in our lifetimes. As many of us attempt to trudge through the post-Holiday dreariness that comes in January, with a distant hope of mass inoculation for the coronavirus, many Canadians can seek more immediate solace with the return of the familiar sights and sounds of NHL hockey, starting on 13 January.

For the Montreal Canadiens, the return of hockey brings with it an unbridled sense of optimism, a genuine glow that has not been seen at the club in over half a decade (it can be argued as to when expectations were genuinely this high for Les Glorieux. Perhaps in 2014, after the Canadiens were felled in the Stanley Cup semi-final by the New York Rangers after losing their stalwart netminder, Carey Price, at the height of his powers? Perhaps it goes back to 2008, when the Canadiens were preparing for a memorable Stanley Cup run in their Centennial season, and bolstered their lineup in the offseason with offensive stars in Alex Tanguay and Robert Lang, to complement the likes of Kovalev and Koivu, who had brought a sense of style, flair and production in the previous season).

The Canadiens and their fans are positively sanguine about their prospects for this upcoming season. Although they entered the NHL “play-in” rounds last summer as the 24th (of 24) ranked team, they managed to upset the heavily favoured Pittsburgh Penguins, winning the best of five series, three games to one.

In the following round, they played the Philadelphia Flyers tight over six hard fought games. The Canadiens ultimately lost, and saw their 9th overall pick (had they lost to the Penguins) tumble and turn into the 16th overall pick, the team found several benefits that GM Marc Bergevin used to build his off season plan.

Bergevin, who has drawn the ire of the fanbase at multiple points over his eight year tenure as General Manager, has earned goodwill for his management over the last two years, as he has accrued draft picks, made a series of savvy trades and has committed to the long term future of the club. Although the future remains the priority, Bergevin has crafted a situation where there is genuine hope for the present, based on the following:

Breakout of the team’s two young centremen

The most notable positive development to emerge from this past summer’s playoffs was the emergence of the club’s two young centremen, Nick Suzuki and Jesperi Kotkaniemi. Suzuki had an impressive rookie season last year, recording 41 points in 71 games, and gradually saw an increase in his usage and responsibilities over time.

Just prior to the interruption of the season due to the coronavirus pandemic, Suzuki’s overall production and impact took a slight dip, prompting coach Claude Julien to openly question whether Suzuki had hit the proverbial “rookie wall.” Yet, Suzuki was the creative pulse for the Canadiens in the series against both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. He notched 7 points in 10 games, and by the end of the Canadiens’ run, had arguably usurped Phillip Danault as the club’s number one centre.

Suzuki is a crafty and cerebral player, who has sublime vision and the requisite puck skills to be a first rate playmaker. He appears to drift in and out of crowds without drawing a commotion, and has a strong innate positional awareness. He also has an impressive defensive acumen, and for a player of only 20 years old, it was remarkable to see the normally conservative coaching staff of Julien and Muller, trust Suzuki with assignments against top centres (Malkin and Crosby), and take crucial defensive faceoffs against the Flyers. Comparisons were made between Suzuki and another Julien young protégé, the highly rated, much lauded Patrice Bergeron, who is considered one of the finest defensive forwards of his era.

After the season, Phillip Danault, who was starting to establish a reputation as one of the best 5 v 5 players in the game, who is entering the final year of his contract, questioned whether he still had a place in the team, prompting a slew of unnecessary and obtrusive trade rumours. It was a testament to how far Suzuki had come in a matter of months.

While Suzuki had a remarkable ascent over the summer months, similarly, the playoffs saw the resurgence of Jesperi Kotkaniemi as a legitimate NHL player, and one that gives the Canadiens an ever spritely duo up the middle of the ice. Kotkaniemi had put together a solid first half of his rookie season, in 2018-19, and finished the season with 34 points in 79 games. Although the numbers may not be eye-catching, Kotkaniemi showed tremendous poise, skill and potential, in a year in which he was the youngest player in the NHL.

Until the playoff rounds however, Kotkaniemi’s sophomore season resembled more a nightmare than a fairy tale. He had arrived to training camp, slightly behind the pace, having had knee surgery in the summer. He never fully settled physically, eventually suffered a pair of injuries, and saw a complete erosion of his own personal confidence and the trust of his coach. Kotkaniemi posted a mere 8 points in 36 games, before being ignominiously sent down to Laval in early February. His season was thought to have ended a few weeks later, when he suffered a ruptured spleen in a game against Cleveland.

The layoff with the pandemic offered Kotkaniemi a chance to heal, focus on his training, and rediscover his joy for the game. He returned to the Canadiens for their camp in July, looking noticeably more muscular and refreshed.

His solid playoff performance, where he scored 4 points in 10 games, managed heightened responsibilities and became more of a physical force (including taking a game misconduct), was well noticed by everyone with the Canadiens. The young Finnish kid had grown from a naïve stick figure to a hulking behemoth, who could cope with the physical demands of being a centreman in the NHL.

Much of the success for the Canadiens this year will depend on how Suzuki and Kotkaniemi develop and take the next step in their professional careers. This certainly will saddle them with significant pressure, which risks overwhelming youngsters aged 21 and 20 respectively, but given their pedigree, proven skillset and the opportunities that they will be trusted with, they should be reliable bets to flourish this season.

Having a rested Carey Price

Over the last two seasons, it is fair to say that Julien lost complete faith in the backup netminders that Bergevin had enlisted to give Carey Price an occasional breather, in both Anti Niemi and Keith Kinkaid. As a result, in 2018-19, Price was forced to start 66 games, and in 2019-20, he started 58 (of 71 games). While Price had been brilliant at times to the most ardent, rose-coloured glass wearing Canadiens fan, his overall save percentages demonstrated that he was no better than an average netminder (.918 in 2018-19, .908 in 2019-20).

Indeed, over the last three seasons, when Price had more than three days off between starts, he posted a .919 save percentage. If he had less rest than that, his save percentage dropped to .907. Although Price prefers to play every game if possible, his performances clearly dropped, and has been one of the reasons for why the Canadiens have not been higher up the standings, in spite of their elite 5 v 5 play.

The value of rest was demonstrated in the play-in/playoff of last season, where after nearly four months off, in the 10 games that Price played, he posted a .936 save percentage, and his cool and calm play was reminiscent of the halcyon days of 2014 when he captured a Gold Medal at the Olympics and in 2015, when he captured the Hart Trophy as league’s most valuable player.

The acquisition of Jake Allen finally gives Price a quality backup, that Julien will actually feel comfortable in playing. The former St. Louis Blues’ netminder was fourth in the league last season in save percentage, for goalies that played more than 20 games, at .927. Over the last two seasons, as the Blues handed over starting duties to Jordan Binnington, Allen adapted well to the daily expectations of being a backup goalie and performed admirably.

Critics will point to the Canadiens spending $15 million of their cap space on goaltending for this season. Yet, by trying to limit the number of starts for their number one netminder with a competent backup will ensure that they get the best out of both players.

The arrival of Alexander Romanov

Since being drafted in the second round, 38th overall, by the Canadiens in the 2018 draft, Russian defenseman Alexander Romanov has seen his stock soar. He played his way onto the famed CSKA Moscow senior team as an 18 year old and helped the club win the 2019 Gagarin Cup. Romanov also dazzled on defense for the Russians at the 2019 and 2020 World U20 tournaments, being named the best defenseman at the 2019 tournament, and being named to the all-star team at the 2020 tournament.

Upon arriving to the Canadiens in 2016, Shea Weber has never had a solid or consistent partner on his left hand side, and the left side on defense has long been an area of weakness for the Canadiens. Romanov’s performance over the World Junior tournaments and two seasons in the KHL provided fans a glint of excitement, in that he is exactly the type of player that the Canadiens have long coveted.

How Romanov integrates into the Canadiens’ lineup will be one of the questions to watch during the course of training camp. He will likely find himself on the third pairing to start, as Julien will pair Ben Chiarot with Shea Weber, and possibly newcomer Joel Edmundson with Jeff Petry. In spite of this, the Canadiens remain bullish on the young Russian, and I expect that he will work his way up the lineup as the season progresses.

The reality is that though young, Romanov has the tools that the Canadiens are in desperate search of. At the World Junior level, Romanov demonstrated strong skating, a courageous streak when attacking from the point, and an offensive knack. Over two tournaments, he posted 14 points in 14 games.

In a review of Romanov’s shifts in CSKA, Arpon Basu highlighted that Romanov was far more conservative, defensively sound, less risk averse playing the professional game, compared to his exploits at the junior level. I envision that initially, Romanov will be sheltered and asked to play in this conservative manner as he adjusts to the NHL pace and intensity. The question will be how soon do we see the unleashed version? Furthermore, how long will it be until he is paired on the first pairing with Shea Weber?

The Canadiens finally have offensive depth

Over the last two seasons, the Canadiens have been one of the league’s best teams at 5 v 5 play, led by the line of Tomas Tatar, Danault and Brendan Gallagher. However, despite that 5 v 5 dominance, the Canadiens were only 19th in the league in goals scored last season. The relatively disappointing production numbers have largely resulted from a mediocre power play, that ranked 22nd in the league last season (and 30th the season before).

Marc Bergevin bolstered the Canadiens’ attack this off-season, bringing in sniper Tyler Toffoli, who scored 24 goals last season (playing with Los Angeles and Vancouver). Additionally, Bergevin traded Max Domi for a bullish forward, in Josh Anderson, who scored 27 goals in 2018-19 (unfortunately, Anderson was injured for much of 2019-20 with a shoulder injury, which limited him to only 26 games). Bergevin further reinforced his forward corps, by signing wingers Michael Frolik and Corey Perry to bargain basement deals, providing the Canadiens with some veteran depth, grit and playoff experience.

Unfortunately, the Canadiens still lack a five star alpha general in their forward ranks to play the big minutes. Instead, they possess a wealth of options along the wings, and this ensures that Julien is armed with four lines that can evenly distribute minutes, and play every shift with an elevated intensity. Over the last two seasons (and last season in the playoffs), the Canadiens were at their best when they played an ultra aggressive forecheck/reload system.

Last year, the Canadiens started the season strong, were able to establish their desired style of play and were 11-5-3 and near the top of the Atlantic Division standings on 15 November. That night both Jonathan Drouin and Paul Byron suffered significant injuries, and in their absence, the Canadiens experienced the first of two 8-game losing streaks which derailed their season.

Having a deep complement of forwards ensures that Julien can play his high intensity pressing style for far longer, and allow the Canadiens to play the bulk of their games on the front foot.

The excitement of the “All Canadian Division“

Like many Canadians who have had the chance to live in different parts of the country, I have made numerous friends that support different teams, and can count many friends that support each Canadian team.

In a compressed 56 game schedule, where all Canadian teams play each other nine or ten times, where every game will have the weight of a proverbial “four-pointer,” this season will prove to be particularly intense, and will give the impression that every game matters. Not having an outright “favourite” will only enhance that feeling that everything is up for grabs. Even more so, having friends and colleagues that provide daily (online) banter and chirps will make the experience ever more colourful and immersive. I can already foresee the daily ritualistic glance at the standings, checking over opposition schedules, and feeling the angst of where the Canadiens fall in the mix. I yearn for that palpable tension in sports, where everyone in my circle is also invested.

So while the pandemic continues to cast a pall over much of Canadian society and daily discourse, the prospects of a winter and spring filled with the intense cauldron of NHL hockey will surely help distract us as we huddle in our homes, limit our physical excursions and patiently await our turn in line for the much coveted vaccine. There are far worse ways to spend an otherwise gloomy winter, and a successful, glory filled hockey season will help to make that time feel even better.

Here’s hoping it is the Canadiens’ year!

Jaideep Kanungo

On Spurs: Oh Gareth, where art thou?

It all seems a like a hazy, distant dream now.

It was only three months ago, where he stood, triumphant, refreshed and relieved to come back to the club where he first made his name. He returned as a conquering hero, with all his fans reliving all the glorious pictures of the past, attempting to recapture even a sliver of the warm feelings he made them feel in those days of yore.

Gareth Bale had returned to Spurs a four time European Cup champion, owner of some of the most spectacular goals in European Cup history, and a bonafide global superstar of first order. With his return, immediately, Spurs’ attack became the envy of world football. Surely, adding Bale to a lineup featuring Harry Kane, Son Heung-min, Lucas Moura, Steven Bergwijn, Dele Alli, Eric Lamela, Giovani Lo Celso and Tanguy Ndombele, gave manager Jose Mourinho a wealth of options that his predecessor, Mauricio Pochettino, never had the luxury of even dreaming of.

Yet, nearly three months since Bale returned to Spurs, the Welshman has failed to make any tangible impact on the club, and his merely average performances during this span are starting to create some anxiety over what Spurs actually have underneath the hood.

The mounting stress results from a dreadful week for Spurs, in which they won only one point in three Premier League matches; drawing Crystal Palace 1-1, losing at Liverpool and falling at home to Leicester (2-0). The sequence of bad results saw Spurs plummet from first in the table, to sixth, underlining just how competitive and tight the margins in the Premier League are this season.

Much of Spurs’ early success came from the otherworldly, sheer brilliance of Kane and Son, who combined exceptionally well to take Spurs to the top.

However, over the past week, although the two have scored (Kane against Palace and Son against Liverpool), there has been a slight lack of synchronization and sharpness from the pair. Part of that can be explained by opponents recognizing the dependence of Mourinho on his counter-attack, prompting them to neutralize the transition from the back to the midfield, nullifying opportunities for Kane to drop deep, and distribute for Son. This was evidenced in all three of the matches this past week, most recently with the dodged and determined efforts of Wilfred Ndidi and Youri Tielemans to conquer the midfield battle for Leicester.

Yet, in the few goal scoring opportunities that Spurs have managed over the past week, both Kane and Son have more often than not flubbed their chances, and with it, altering the narrative that follows. Against Liverpool, Kane mishit a header from a perfectly placed corner, straight into the ground, rather than at goal. Similarly, against Leicester, moments prior to Serge Aurier’s foul on Wesley Fofana which resulted in a Leicester penalty (and a 1-0 lead), Kane hit a pitch perfect Son corner with his head once again, but this time, well over the Leicester goal. Kane is credited for being one of the most clinical finishers in Europe, but his finishing was left wanting this past week.

Similarly, against Leicester in the first half, Son had a series of opportunities, where he chose to play a cross or head for an opponent, rather than take the prime opportunity for himself, squandering some of the rare dangerous opportunities that Spurs were able create.

Had any of these chances been taken (as they were in earlier matches this season), the story would be different. Yet, when Kane and Son are slightly off, based on Mourinho’s wealth of attacking options, it would be reasonable for others to occasionally take the burden off the sensational duo.

Much of that expectation should fall on Gareth Bale, who even with Spurs covering approximately 40% of his salary, is still the Premier League’s highest weekly earner. Sadly, Bale’s time at Spurs thus far has been unremarkable. He missed the first month of his return, recovering from a slight knee injury, and it feels like he has never fully settled since.

Since coming into the team against West Ham in mid October as a substitute (and watching the Hammers storm back from a 3-0 deficit, to equalize 3-3, in his 18 minutes on the pitch), Bale has only appeared in three Premier League matches (against Brighton, West Brom and Leicester). Although he did score a sitter against Brighton, his impact has been nominal. Bale has done most of his work in the Europa League group stages, where he featured in all six group matches, scoring once (against LASK in Linz), but never playing more than 82 minutes in a match.

Bale’s playing time at Real Madrid was cut short last season, as he gradually fell out of favour with manager Zinedine Zidane. As the club chased down another La Liga title, Bale featured in the team only twice since the return to play following the coronavirus lockdown, with his last action coming on 24 June. Given the long absence from playing top flight football, it was reasonable to expect that Bale would take some time to regain his fitness, especially with trying to acclimatize to a league that plays at a break neck pace like the Premier League.

Though harsh, it is completely fair to say that thus far, Gareth Bale looks merely a shell of the player that absolutely electrified the crowds at White Hart Lane many years ago. With the Wales national team, Bale often appeared like an all conquering, all action hero, involved in all phases of the game. His performance at Euro 2016 was scintillating, out of this world, as he guided his small country to the semi-finals of the competition.

Increasingly, in his return, Bale looks isolated on the right wing, seemingly out of sync with the rest of the midfield. In general, he looks far too languid, and bereft of the explosive thrust that marked his game during his first spell at Spurs. Perhaps at age 31, our expectations of him rampaging down the right flank were miscalculated. Perhaps, his history of muscle injuries have created a sense of hesitation and tentativeness, which has robbed him of his attacking flair.

Indeed, Mourinho has preferred Steven Bergwijn and occasionally Lucas Moura, to play in Premier League matches since Bale’s arrival. This season has brought a greater buy in of Mourinho’s tactics by the team. Over this time, it has become clear that much of his defensive philosophies require attacking players to track back and contribute to the defensive phase. This has been of paramount importance as Spurs now have attacking fullbacks on both flanks.

Over recent weeks, it has been Bergwijn who has demonstrated the requisite work rate and commitment to defensive duties, providing reinforcement for Serge Aurier at right back, while still having the pace to burst out on attack during the counter-attacking phase. Son Heung-min has also provided a similar service to help support Sergio Reguilon on the opposite side. Until now, Bale has yet to show Mourinho the level of fitness, pace and defensive acumen that he expects of his wingers, to earn a spot in his starting XI, week in and week out.

Against Leicester, after trailing 1-0 at the half, Mourinho brought on Bale to change the complexion of the game, substituting him on for Spurs’ creative spark, Tanguy Ndombele. It was quite unfortunate that mere minutes after that switch, the other creative spark, Giovani Lo Celso was injured with a muscle strain, and also had to be substituted (for Lucas Moura). Within such a short period of time, Spurs were without two of their most creative players, who could unlock a defense, and find space in contexts devoid of it.

The once feared trio of Son, Kane and Bale failed to make an impression, their play so disjointed, so static, so listless, and Leicester gradually took over the match. It truly was no contest at the end.

Given the wealth of attacking options that Mourinho has at his disposal, it is unfair to expect Kane and Son to provide all the offensive impulses for Spurs going forward. Yet as this season has progressed, it appears that without their contributions, the rest of the team has been unable to provide a similar lift.

Counting out Gareth Bale and Spurs now seems somewhat rash, and it does not appear that anybody is keen to partake in that, considering how tight the Premier League is at the moment. But for Bale to maintain the sheen of genius and upkeep the striking legacy that he left in his first spell, it would serve him well to find, if only a mere glimpse, of what made him special all those years ago.

If Bale can find that quality, and ultimately contribute towards a veritable title challenge for Spurs, perhaps that dream can last just a little bit longer.

Jaideep Kanungo

On Spurs: Disappointment and 0 points after a top of the table clash

Moments after the final whistle of Tottenham’s 2-1 heartbreaking defeat to Liverpool at Anfield tonight, the cameras panned to the ritualistic handshakes between Jose Mourinho and Liverpool manager, Jürgen Klopp. It initially appeared to be a civil exchange, but clearly Mourinho had said something inciteful, which caused Klopp to look at him with a toothy grin of disbelief.

After the match, it was revealed that Mourinho had told Klopp that “the better team had lost.”

Although the run of play, the possession dominance (76% v 24%) and shots on target count (11 v 2) all favoured Liverpool in the end, from a Spurs perspective, it felt hard-done by not coming out of that match with at least a draw, if not with complete victory.

It was clear to anyone that had watched Tottenham this season, that Mourinho would set Spurs up in this defensive, low-block posture, trying to wait for Liverpool to lose possession, and then marching up the pitch with explosive and clinical counterattacks. It was entirely expected that Liverpool would win the bulk of possession, take the majority of shots (most of which being low percentage in nature), and the match played out almost exactly to Mourinho’s best laid plans.

For much of the first half, Liverpool comfortably hemmed Spurs in their own end. Spurs’ back line was under significant pressure, and failed to provide any service to either Son Heung-min or Harry Kane in the few flits of possession. After a series of grazing Liverpool shots which were comfortably stopped by Hugo Lloris, in the 26th minute, it was Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, who pounced on an errant clearance at the edge of the box, and took a dangerous shot which took a slight deflection off Toby Alderweireld, and floated over a frozen Lloris. The Kop celebrated in delight. Advantage Liverpool.

In the brief moments Spurs did win the ball after the Salah goal, Liverpool harangued Spurs’ backline with its usual ferocity. On one occasion, Serge Aurier was guilty of giving the ball straight back to Mané, to recycle a sequence of possession for the Reds, and Trent Alexander-Arnold had his way, with an audacious nutmeg of Son. Everything seemed to be going well for the defending champions, and the Anfield crowd, all kept in the Kop end, were in their usual rapturous delight.

Spurs were able to release some of the fizz from the can in the 33rd minute. The equalizer came from a goal kick, that was quickly taken, and retrieved by Giovani Lo Celso in midfield. Lo Celso played an excellent through ball to Son on the left flank, and he exploded past Liverpool’s back line and hit a tidy right foot past the on-rushing Liverpool keeper, Alisson Becker. It was a textbook example of ” route one football,” and in a match where Spurs simply could not hold onto the ball, it was a brilliant goal that brought them back into the game.

While the first half was decidedly one sided, and Spurs managed only two counter attacking opportunities, where Spurs feel hard done by the end result, is that in the second half, they missed a series of high quality scoring opportunities. Of note, straight after the restart, Alderweireld launched Bergwijn on an attack down the left flank. On another day, Bergwijn would have finished, but sadly today, he fired well wide of goal. The look of regret was painted on his face, as if he sensed that such a glorious opportunity would not come again against such a high quality opponent.

As Spurs continued to valiantly defend, Bergwijn did indeed get another opportunity to score. This time, in the 63rd minute, Kane headed a goal kick onto Son, who flicked onto Bergwijn. With time, space, and his head up, Bergwijn hit a shot which incredibly went off the far post. That should have put Spurs up. While that was easily the best chance to go ahead, the next best chance came seconds later, when a Spurs’ corner found its way onto the head of an unmarked Harry Kane. Rather than hit it convincingly, it glanced off Kane’s head, took a heavy bounce on the grass, before being calmly collected by Alisson. Back to back chances, gone in an instant, nothing in hand.

Liverpool continued to turn the screw, ratcheting up the pressure, but Spurs generally coped with this tension well. The front three of Liverpool of Mané, Firmino and Salah were frenetic in their movement and danger. Most impressive of the three was the Senegalese Mané, who had a catalogue of turns, flicks and shots, but who was largely contained by his Ivorian rival, Serge Aurier.

Kane, who had missed his golden opportunity minutes earlier, like Bergwijn had a chance at redemption. He brought down an Alderweireld ball in the 79th minute, and even with seemingly endless time and space, he seemed to hesitate (possibly because he may have brought down the ball with his arm, or possibly because he could not believe the fortune that allowed him to be in such a wide open position, without being offside), and mishit the ball. Once again, for the fourth time in a half-hour, chance gone.

Spurs genuinely had a constellation of incredible opportunities, all flubbed, and so in the 90th minute when Firmino was first to the ball on an Andy Robertson corner, and placed a well timed and placed header past Lloris, it all felt slightly heartbreaking and unfair. They defended generally well, Aurier, Ben Davies, Dier and Alderweireld had been brave and overall, solid. Hojbjerg and Sissoko were exemplary in their reinforcement. All the attacking players made commendable defensive contributions. Yet, Liverpool took their chances, while Spurs misfired on theirs.

Mourinho’s quip to Klopp, that “the better team had lost” may seem petulant, and out of touch with reality to observers that looked at the box score, and saw the one sided possession and shot totals. Yet, for nearly the entire second half, Spurs had the growing belief that they could indeed eek this match out, and create a gap at the top of the table. The 90th minute winner popped that bubble.

To walk away from Anfield with a point would have been acceptable. For Spurs to leave with nothing from that brave match, to lose their place at the top of the Premier League table, it all feels slightly empty.

Jaideep Kanungo

On Spurs: Realism sets in as Spurs drop points

Truly for the past week, everyone at Tottenham had every reason to hold their heads up high. Spurs were top of the Premier League, powered by the league’s top goal scorer (Son), playmaker (Kane) and best defense, and had just come off resoundingly humiliating their North London neighbours.

Yet despite the positive feelings and overall good vibes, the week also brought along some genuine buzz kill moments, as manager Jose Mourinho attempts to guide Spurs to their first English top division title since 1961.

Firstly, The Athletic‘s doyen of tactics, Michael Cox, highlighted that Tottenham are currently outperforming their expected xG numbers and that a regression is to be expected. He writes (prior to this past weekend’s match at Palace) that Spurs had scored 23 goals, although their xG would expect 17 goals. Defensively, Spurs would have been expected to concede 12 goals, compared to the 9 goals that they actually conceded. Their defense would be 5th in the league in the xG table, rather than the best in the league as it stood. Most astonishingly, Son Heung-min was highlighted as significantly overperforming his xG. The South Korean has scored 10 in real life, when his expected goals was only 3.5. Surely, Cox and other football data-heads insist that Spurs simply cannot maintain this “mirage.”

Additionally, some football pundits such as the eminently forgettable ex Spurs’ midfielder Jamie Redknapp, and the classic “good football man”-cum-curmudgeon, Graeme Souness, commented that many of Spurs’ attacking players must be down on playing such a negative style of football. Interestingly, Spurs teams of the past had been criticized for playing an attractive attacking football, as compared to their rivals, but they lacked a general defensive solidity and winning nous that would make them legitimate title threats (is this not what critics panned Mauricio Pochettino for?). This manifested in a series of soul-crushing losses on some of biggest stages. Finally, enter a manager that has tightened up those areas of weakness, with a group of committed players, and witness the wrath of the “protectors of the proper way” to play football.

Yesterday’s 1-1 draw to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park may have served as vindication for those skeptics. Spurs’ run of good form against good teams, and clean sheets (they had not conceded a goal in their previous four Premier League matches) took a sizeable hit, as it occurred against an opponent that sat 14th in the league table prior to the match.

The match was poised to be an interesting tactical battle for Jose Mourinho, who had set his team up in his classic low-block shape in the preceding three matches, against Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal. It was reasonable to assume that all three of those rivals felt comfortable playing with the ball, and that Mourinho could set up his team to play on the counter. However, Roy Hodgson’s Crystal Palace offered a much different proposition, themselves preferring to play Mourinho’s favoured style. Palace boasts a trio of tricky attacking players in Wilfried Zaha, Eberechi Eze and Christian Benteke, that could also be devastating on the counter, as demonstrated by their five goal explosion against West Brom in the prior week.

The match was played in a seemingly uncomfortable setting (judged as such, from the comforts of our warm, cozy home), with the rain pouring down for the entire 90 minutes. Palace also had the benefit of 2000 boisterous fans in their bandbox stadium, for the first time since the coronavirus lockdown. (Admittedly, I have always admired Selhurst Park. It has always seemed from afar as the stadium with the tightest confines, with one of the best atmospheres in the Premier League).

Spurs got the better of Palace for much of the first half, including a couple of breaks for Son (on a tidy direct ball from Alderweireld) and Steven Bergwijn (who was the beneficiary from an incisive Kane ball), which failed to result in a goal. The half was punctuated by yet another terrific goal from Harry Kane. Kane took a feed from Son in close space, just outside the Palace box, and hit a swerving right footed strike that proved tricky for Palace keeper, Vincente Guaita.

At that point, it seemed a game that Spurs would comfortably win, but as the second half wore on, they seemed sapped of their energy and any inventive attacking ideas. It would be easy to suggest that Spurs should have attacked more, and played more on the front foot in the second half. In his post match comments, Mourinho admitted that these were his exact instructions to the team.

Yet, to be fair, it was Palace that made it difficult for Spurs to play from the back, harrying Spurs backline, forcing many bad decisions and turnovers. Midfielders Hojbjerg and Sissoko were forced to defend more, and were unable to link with the attacking players. Distribution to Kane and Son was completely nullified. Crystal Palace were allowed to dictate the tempo and they continued to mount a series of chances.

The most eye catching Palace player was the electric Eze. A complete revelation, Eze was lean, elegant, with an almost balletic quality, and left Spurs’ midfield for dead on several occasions. As the second half wore on, Spurs badly faded, and were forced to concede multiple set pieces. Luckily for them, Christian Benteke continued to lack finesse in completing pitch perfect delivery, otherwise, the equalizer would have come much sooner. Eventually, in the 81st minute, Eze floated in free kick which proved a difficult knuckleball for Hugo Lloris. Jeffrey Schlupp was in proper position, to pounce on the rebound and smash it into the back of the net. Palace had equalized, and it was the first league goal Spurs had conceded since 1 November.

It felt that the goal was inevitable, based on the run of play. Although Spurs have been resolute in defending in recent weeks, they did concede late goals to Newcastle and West Ham in the first month of the season in an eerily similar fashion. In both those previous occasions, they had conceded late free kicks, near the edge of the box that resulted in a penalty (Dier’s controversial handball while trying to defend Andy Carroll of Newcastle) and a wondergoal (Manuel Lanzini’s smash and grab thump for West Ham). For a manager that harps on set piece defending and prides himself on his defensive record, seeing this equalizer come after a sequence of cheaply conceded set-pieces must have made Jose Mourinho completely (and rightfully) apoplectic at full-time.

It should be mentioned that despite their largely tepid performance in the second half, Spurs had two occasions to win the game late. In the 86th minute, Serge Aurier whipped in a hard cross, which took a quick deflection off Kane’s head. Remarkably, Guaita’s razor sharp instincts and quick movement prevented an otherwise sure goal. Palace once again relied on Guaita’s quality, when in the 93rd minute, he made an astonishing leap to deny a dipping Eric Dier free-kick from the edge of the box. The Spanish goalkeeper, who was panned for his movement and read of Kane’s first half strike, had thoroughly redeemed himself and was likely the Man of the Match by the end.

Luckily for Spurs, the disappointment of the afternoon was mitigated by the fact that all of their “Big 6” rivals dropped points during the weekend as well. Chelsea fell to Everton, while the Manchester Derby ended in an uninspiring, insipid 0-0 draw. Liverpool was flat against Fulham, and Arsenal continued through their woes, losing humiliatingly at home to Burnley.

Admittedly, Spurs did not look like a league leading side against Palace in this match. The passage of time tends to burnish our collective memories of how outstanding some of the great teams of the past were, and fill us with an apocryphal illusion that they played some version of a champagne football every time they graced a pitch. The reality remains that many great teams find ways to snatch victory in ugly games like this Palace game proved to be. Spurs nearly did, had it not been for the sublime brilliance of a Spanish goalkeeper. Yet, perhaps the skeptics like Michael Cox do provide a timely warning, that Spurs need further tactical refinement before being a true title contender. They cannot expect to play the same way against a Manchester City or Chelsea as they do against Crystal Palace, where they are rightfully expected to do more.

Championship teams show a tactical variety and an ability to get results in different ways. Perhaps a simple tactical change of playing nimble, quick ball distributors that can cope with a press, like Giovani Lo Celso or Harry Winks (rather than a heavy footed Mousa Sissoko), in front of the back line, could help provide service to the attacking players? Given the depth and variety of Mourinho’s bench, surely there is a Plan B or Plan C in the squad to handle teams that pose a significant challenge to break down.

This draw may have felt like a loss, considering the form that Spurs were on leading into the match, and the heightened expectations for what this season may bring. Yet, the way their other rivals have sputtered and have looked fatigued as the fixtures mount, Spurs have been given a true reprieve. They remain top of the table for now, and have been provided a reminder that they should seek some different ways to win games in the coming weeks.

Jaideep Kanungo

In a strange year, Spurs are on top of the league

Much has changed since my last correspondence on this mostly deserted, infrequently visited, uninspiring looking website.

Most strikingly, our understanding of the planet has been challenged, as a ‘once in a century’ pandemic has wreaked havoc on the world’s health and economies, and has thrust a spotlight on the range of social inequalities that many have ignored for far too long. In football land, the once antiquated, much maligned Jose Mourinho is now manager of Tottenham Hotspur, and against a backdrop of trendy pressing and high-line rivals, Spurs find themselves tied atop the Premier League table after eleven matches played in this most unusual 2020-21 season.

Many other excellent writers (namely Charlie Eccleshare, Jack Pitt-Brooke and Michael Cox of The Athletic, David Hytner and Jonathan Liew of The Guardian) have contributed exhaustive pieces for the reasons for why Spurs are top of the Premier League table for the first time since August 2014. In an effort to get back into writing, I will provide a succinct explanation, with hopefully more regular pieces to follow in the coming weeks and months:

Trusting the Manager

Undoubtedly, the sacking of Mauricio Pochettino in November 2019, was a jolt to anyone associated with the club. In his five full seasons at Spurs, Pochettino became a legendary manager, imposing an attractive style of football, developing several youngsters into star-calibre players, and taking the club to four consecutive ‘top 4’ finishes in the Premier League. His crowning achievement was leading Spurs to an unlikely Champions League Final appearance in 2019.

Unfortunately, during the peak of Pochettino’s era, as the club made the move from White Hart Lane to the new Tottenham Hotspur stadium (with a prolonged, inconvenient sojourn at Wembley Stadium), for a two year period, Spurs failed to invest in new players for their manager. Even though the 2019 summer transfer window brought new midfielders Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso to the club, the rest of the squad had grown old together and had become stale. Pochettino’s high energy system placed extreme physical demands on his players, that by the end, many likely felt burned out after years and years of his training methods (it is somewhat surprising to see that in the 18 month period after the run to the Champions League Final, four significant players (Danny Rose, Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen (at Inter Milan) and Fernando Llorente (at Napoli) no longer play regular, first team football) Through the early fall of 2019, results petered out and Pochettino became increasingly irascible and without an answer for his team’s mounting woes.

His sacking was an emotional blow for Spurs’ supporters, who experienced such heights under the Argentine manager (rivals will gleefully point to an empty trophy case), and the feelings of ill-will were further compounded when chairman Daniel Levy appointed Jose Mourinho as manager. Mourinho was loathed by a large segment of Tottenham supporters, from his tenure managing rivals Chelsea and most recently Manchester United, where he spectacularly flamed out with the club’s supporters and some star players. It became a genuine talking point in online forums, about what was more dour, Mourinho’s tactics, or his mood on any given day.

Mourinho’s first several months at Spurs were a mixed bag, as his footballing philosophy could not be more different to that of his predecessor. His job was made more difficult with significant injuries to his stars, Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min. Before football shut down in mid March due to the coronavirus pandemic, Spurs had fizzled out of the FA Cup in penalties to Norwich, were rendered impotent in the Champions League last 16 to RB Leipzig and were likely going to plummet down the Premier League table as well.

However, the three month lockdown on football, allowed Mourinho learn the idiosyncrasies of his squad, provided him the opportunity to indoctrinate them on his tactics, and allowed his star players to regain their fitness. With both Son and Kane fully fit, Spurs managed to claim points in all but two of their final nine matches, and finish a respectable sixth in the Premier League (Spurs had been 14th when he took over). His players were starting to buy in to his message, and even a malcontent like Tanguy Ndombele (the club’s most expensive transfer acquisition), who once appeared to be a lost cause and in the transfer heap, has rediscovered his joy and purpose.

Learning the Tactics

Over time, Mourinho has come to learn all the gadgets on his dashboard, and has had the opportunity to impose his tactical vision onto Spurs.

Of note, Mourinho has found confidence in his back line, which has been bolstered by resurgent performances from Eric Dier and Toby Alderweireld. While both players lack the pace and nimble footwork of a modern centreback, they make up for it with their excellent football intelligence, and extremely well timed challenges. Spurs also now have three dynamic, roving full backs in Sergio Reguilon (left back), Matt Doherty (right back) and Serge Aurier (right back). Last season, following the transfer of Kieran Trippier to Atletico Madrid, full back was a position of weakness for Spurs, with Ben Davies and Serge Aurier being the only consistent first team regulars (Japhet Tanganga filled the role admirably in spot duty, and Ryan Sessegnon and Kyle Walker-Peters proved to be too raw for full time duties). Mourinho felt comfortable playing a lopsided fullback system, where Ben Davies (left back) would remain deep and static (forming a back 3 in attack), allowing Aurier to roam forward and play as a right wing back, providing overlaps and crosses. This required Mousa Sissoko to drop back from his central midfield duties and occupy the right back role when Aurier was caught high up the pitch.

This season, with two roaming full backs, Spurs have been able to drop Sissoko and the impressive Danish central midfielder, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg into the back line to provide further reinforcement (Michael Cox has pointed out that against Chelsea, this took on the shape of a back 6). Højbjerg has been a revelation for Spurs this season, playing as a classic ball-winning, box to box central midfielder, the type that Mourinho had in his disposal in his previous table topping clubs. After defeating Southampton (at St. Mary’s) 5-2 and Manchester United (at Old Trafford) 6-1, where Spurs exposed the opposition high-lines and erratic defending, they have felt more comfortable conceding possession and playing Mourinho’s classic low-block shape for the bulk of their matches.

This structure has proven to be extremely effective. Thus far, after 11 matches, Spurs have conceded just nine goals, representing, for the moment, the best defense in the league. Impressively, in Spurs’ last three matches in a difficult series of fixtures, at home to Manchester City, at home to Chelsea, and at home to Arsenal, they did not concede a goal. Impressive stuff for a team that was hemorrhaging goals against toward the end of the Pochettino era.

Of course, low-block defensive football alone cannot win football matches consistently. Spurs have benefitted from explosive counter attacking options, led by the intelligence, skill and graft of their leader, Harry Kane, and the blinding pace and sublime clinical finishing of Son Heung-Min.

Whereas in previous seasons, Kane spent much of his time in opposition boxes, terrorizing defenders, playing more as a classic number 9, over the last year under Mourinho, Kane has evolved into a more complete player, and plays more as a number 10, who is involved in all facets of the game. He is often the player that clears balls out of his own box on opposition corners and has shown an incredible work rate, building on Mourinho’s tenet of having his attacking players involved in the defensive phase.

Kane’s game appears more complete this year, as he is often found in midfield areas bringing down balls from Dier or Alderweireld, briefly holding up the play, allowing Son to overlap him, and sending him perfectly placed and weighted passes into space behind opposition defenders. This simple, yet effective tactic has yielded superlative results, and remains largely unplayable (Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka were the most recent victims, in the North London derby). After 11 matches, Son is on 10 goals (second in the league to Dominic Calvert-Lewin) and 3 assists, while Kane is on 8 goals and an eye-popping 10 assists (first in the league).

Having Squad Depth

Unlike under the final month of the Pochettino era, Mourinho has already earned the trust of a fawning chairman Levy, and has received greater investment in the squad. In addition to Doherty, Reguilon and Højbjerg, Spurs reinforced at centre forward with Carlos Vinicius (from Benfica), who has shown a touch of skill and pace in his Europa League duties, and centre back Joe Rodon (from Swansea). All of these new faces have blended in well at Spurs, and provides Mourinho with a veritable list of options, as the fixtures pile up in the coming month. This is true, without having even mentioned the return of Spurs’ progigal son, Gareth Bale, who came to Spurs as a raw, string bean 18 year old in 2007 from Southampton, and left six years later to Real Madrid as a fully developed world beater. Four Champions League titles on, Bale is back at Spurs (on loan, as he had not been able to get into the Madrid side, and quarreled with his manager Zinedine Zidane) with his smile intact, and his mood apparently lifted.

Curiously, Bale has yet to settle fully on the pitch, missing the first month due to a muscle injury, and only really appearing in Europa League matches, and occasional Premier League substitute appearances. Although he has scored twice, he has looked devoid of the thrust that defined his game during the apotheosis of his Spurs career. Thus far, he also does not appear to have the fitness to perform the level of defensive commitment that Mourinho seeks in his wingers (and what he has unlocked in Steven Bergwijn and Lucas Moura, who appear to be getting more Premier League looks).

Spurs overall look to be on the up after eleven matches. Too much football remains to make definitive conclusions, but reassuringly for us famished supporters, Mourinho appears to have bought the trust of his players, instilled them with his philosophies, unlocked the world class potential of Kane and Son, and has a bench full of hungry and committed players who will likely push their rivals to the end.

It really has been a gruesome year, but football once again reminds us, that there may be light at the end of the tunnel after all.

Jaideep Kanungo