I had the great pleasure of joining my friend Ahmad Ghahary on his Friends With Opinions, Hockey Podcast this past weekend.
In Episode 22, we discussed the abject marketing efforts made by the NHL in recent years, how it compares to other professional sports and where the game is headed as a result.
In Episode 23, we discussed the stalemate that currently exists between restricted free agents and their NHL teams, how we foresee this will impact the coming season, and the broader implications that these squabbles will have on the sport.
We also recorded another episode last evening, where we explore the issues with the Montreal Canadiens heading into training camp later this week. Look forward to a link to that discussion on the podcast page, when it becomes available.
Please have a listen to Ahmad’s reverential podcast! For those that are not necessarily hockey fans, there are some rumours that he might be exploring other content this coming year! (stay tuned!)
On the surface of it, the Montreal Canadiens lineup entering the 2019/20 season does not appear much different from the one that narrowly missed the playoffs by two points in 2018/19. As other Eastern Conference teams reinforced their teams this offseason, the question remains whether the Habs have done enough to contend for a playoff spot.
The Canadiens did move on from Jordie Benn (who signed with Vancouver as a free agent), Antii Niemi (who signed with Jokerit of the KHL) and Andrew Shaw. The Habs sent Andrew Shaw to the Chicago Blackhawks for 2nd (2020), 3rd (2021) and 7th (2020) round picks. The incoming players include netminder Keith Kinkaid, depth defenseman Ben Chiarot and checking centreman, Nick Cousins.
Most notably, the Habs signed centre Sebastian Aho to an offer sheet of 5 years, worth $8.454 million per season. The Carolina Hurricanes emphatically matched the contract, retained Aho, and openly mocked the Canadiens in doing so. In the aftermath, there was much derision from members of the hockey media and fans of opposing teams on social media. It was felt that the Habs did not make a serious attempt at an offer sheet, that the annual salary being offered was too low, and the terms being far too easy for Carolina to match.
The Canadiens made a shrewd and calculated gamble in tendering Aho the offer sheet that they did. They identified a player that fills a need, as a young, slick, skilled, playmaking number one centre. They also identified a team that they judged to potentially have money problems in Carolina. While owner Tom Dundon is a billionaire, he recently had troubles with the folding of the Alliance of American Football, a project he purportedly invested $70 million into and subsequently lost. Furthermore, Dundon has proved to be notoriously cheap at building his hockey club, dismissing previous Canes’ General Manager, Ron Francis, over contract demands, which were meagre by all accounts. The Canadiens structured their offer sheet in a way that upon signing, Aho was due a $21 million dollar signing bonus. It was a financial stress test for Dundon if there ever was one.
Based on the comments Canadiens’ GM Marc Bergevin made on 1 July, the team did not feel that going up in terms of annual salary (AAV) would have made significant difference whether Carolina would match the offer. At $8.454 million, the compensation was a first, second and third round pick. Had they gone up in AAV, they would have had to surrender an additional first round pick. Had they gone up to an AAV of $10.6 million, the compensation would have been quite steep, at four first round picks.
On a five year deal (which Aho signed, and what most RFAs are thought to be interested in, after Auston Matthews signed a five year contract with the Maple Leafs), surrendering two to four first round picks would have been a steep price. This is of particular importance in an NHL where even good teams can have an anomalous season, miss the playoffs, and find themselves in the NHL Draft Lottery. Increasing the AAV also would not have substantially changed the bonus structure.
The Canadiens made the offer, it got matched, and the saga was closed. It was a worthwhile attempt, and though unsuccessful it showed the Canadiens intent in wanting to acquire talent through different means. The Canadiens have failed repeatedly in luring the glamour unrestricted free agent to Montreal, chiefly due to factors out of its control, including poor weather, the highest tax rate in the league, and the NHL players’ general disdain for having to live in a city where English is not the only language.
Yet, there remains the question of whether the Canadiens are actually a better hockey team heading into this season.
The loss of Andrew Shaw cannot be understated. When Shaw was signed to a six year contract, worth $3.9 million per season in 2016, few would have given Marc Bergevin credit for spending his money wisely. Over three seasons with the Canadiens, Shaw did not once appear in more than 70 games in a season . He has also experienced a series of concussions over this span, which limited his effectiveness.
Yet, this past season, he managed a career high in assists and points (47 pts in 63 games), largely playing alongside Max Domi. He was incredibly 25th in the NHL in 5 on 5 goals per 60, and the Canadiens controlled 60% of high danger attempts when he was on the ice. By all accounts, Shaw was also the classic “glue guy” in the Canadiens room, with many young players sharing stories on how the veteran helped them get acquainted to life in the professional game.
Shaw was deemed expendable, as the Canadiens who had ample salary cap room over the last three seasons, will come into a cap crunch in the summer of 2021, with many key contracts expiring including those to Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Ryan Poehling, Phillip Danault, Brendan Gallagher and Jeff Petry. There may have been no better time to move on from Shaw, after a career season, but his loss remains significant.
Nick Cousins was brought in as a free agent signing from Arizona, for a one year, $1 million deal. Cousins offensive production pales in comparison to Shaw, but perhaps the edge that he plays with may help placate the fans that usually fawn over such attributes.
The swap of Jordie Benn for Ben Chiarot may also be a bit of a downgrade on defense. The 28 year old Chiarot was signed after spending his entire career with the Winnipeg Jets. He signed a three year contract, with an annual cap figure of $3.5 million. For much of last season, Chiarot was partnered with Dustin Byfuglien, and he hit career highs in games played (78) and points (20). Additionally, when Chiarot was paired with Byfuglien, his contributions were positive (>50% CF), a number which fell off substantially when he was with other partners.
Chiarot is a big, physical, relatively immobile defender, who head coach Claude Julien will hope can clear out the persistent traffic in front of Carey Price’s goal. The concern is that he carries a relatively large cap hit for what he provides, and is signed beyond the dreaded summer of 2021. This point is especially hard to swallow, since Jordie Benn signed a two year deal with the Canucks for $2 million per season. It is quite difficult to look at both players and suggest that Chiarot will be significantly better than Benn, considering their offensive numbers and defensive attributes are quite similar.
The Canadiens also brought in netminder Keith Kinkaid, to serve as backup netminder for Carey Price. Last season, Anti Niemi, who had surprised the Habs with his play in 2017/18, had a series of gaffe prone performances, causing Claude Julien to lose complete trust in him. As the Canadiens chased a playoff spot down the stretch, Julien played Carey Price in 28 of the team’s final 29 games, including in four back to back situations, where normally the club’s backup would have provided a start.
Kinkaid was a standout with the New Jersey Devils in 2017/18, when he took over starting duties briefly after injury besieged Cory Schneider. He played 41 games, posted a respectable .913 save percentage, and was critical in helping the Devils clinch a post season berth. Last season however was a different story, and his numbers crumbled. Kinkaid posted a .891 save percentage, was traded to Columbus at the trade deadline, and failed to inspire coach John Tortorella. The Jackets paid the Devils a 5th round pick for Kinkaid, and literally received nothing from him, as he did not feature a single second.
At a one year deal worth $1.75 million, the Canadiens hope that Kinkaid can recapture his form from 2017/18, and help provide Price with some relief, and allow their star to make no more than 55-60 starts.
It remains uncertain whether these personnel changes truly make the Canadiens a better team heading into this coming season. With an increasingly competitive Atlantic Division, featuring strong contenders, Tampa Bay, Toronto and Boston, and a burgeoning power in Florida with new head coach, Joel Quenneville, the Canadiens will need to see the emergence and continual development of their young players, like Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Victor Mete, who may need to play more important roles. Rookie Ryan Poehling, who notched a hat trick in his first and only NHL game, may make the club and surprise, but as a whole, any contribution from him would be viewed as a bonus.
I remain skeptical whether this is a playoff team for this coming year, but with the Canadiens burgeoning prospect pipeline, being a consistently competitive team in the years to come is on the cards. Hopefully before the Stanley Cup drought reaches 30 years.
Coming back into a new Premier League season, there was much optimism amongst supporters of Tottenham Hotspur that this would finally be the season in which the Mauricio Pochettino project would reap some long awaited silverware.
The club had just gotten to the pinnacle of European football by reaching the Champions League Final, after a series of stirring and improbable performances in the quarterfinals against Manchester City and the semifinal against Ajax.
The club finally made the long awaited return to the majestic new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (corporate name incoming?), and appear to be feeling comfortable with having a permanent home ground after two seasons toiling at the sterile behemoth that is Wembley Stadium.
Perhaps most exciting was that for the first time since January 2018, Spurs were active in the transfer market, smashing their club record transfer fee by splashing out £55 million for Lyon’s central midfielder, Tanguy Ndombele. Spurs also secured the services of Argentinean attacking midfielder Giovani Lo Celso (in a complicated loan for one year, with condition to buy deal) from Real Betis, and young English full back Ryan Sessegnon for £ 25 million from Fulham.
Pochettino was lavished with praise for his stunning work over the last few seasons, and with finally some new, expensive toys and a best-in-class new ground to play in, all appeared healthy and well in North London. That was all true, until the football started.
Spurs have played three matches thus far in the 2019/20 Premier League season, and for a club with title aspirations, already sit five points behind league leaders Liverpool. The next fixture is on 1 September, which is always a difficult and emotional one; Arsenal at the Emirates.
Most concerning for Spurs is not even the results themselves, but the overall flaccid and insipid nature of the performances.
In front of an excited partisan crowd at the Lane in the opening match against newly promoted Aston Villa, Spurs found themselves down after nine minutes on a John Mcginn goal. It was not until the 73rd minute that Spurs were able to break down the Villa resistance, when new boy Ndombele hammered in his first goal with the club. It further took control of the match and the three points, with two late Harry Kane goals. Though Spurs won the expected three points with a 3-1 victory, it came with much consternation.
Christian Eriksen, who’s place at the club continues to be under much debate as he is in the final year of his contract and has expressed his desire to move on, started the match on the bench. Despite owning the lion’s share of the possession, Spurs had managed just 12 shots in the first 64 minutes. Upon Eriksen’s insertion at that point, Spurs fired 19 shots in the final 26, and it was his creativity and vision that helped pry open the Villa defense. Until Eriksen entered the match, the team looked slow, ponderous, lacking signs of sharpness in attack. It was a similar pattern of play that was evident in the final months of the last Premier League season, where Spurs lost to Burnley, Southampton, West Ham and Bournemouth, and needed last minute winners against Fulham and Brighton. Something appeared to be amiss.
In Spurs second match of the season, at the Etihad against reigning champions Manchester City, Pochettino elected to play conservatively. It was a match that did have some of the end to end action of last spring’s epic Champions League quarterfinal round, as Raheem Sterling and Eric Lamela traded goals in the first 25 minutes. But overall, the match demonstrated the gulf in quality between City and Spurs that still remains, in spite of Daniel Levy’s summer outlay. The match was dominated by Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, who carved up Spurs’ defenders repeatedly, and had them on their backheels for the entire match. Spurs were lucky to escape with a point after a 2-2 draw, after another last second winner was nullified by a VAR decision, as the cameras spotted an Aymeric Laporte handball helped set up what would have been Gabriel Jesus’s winner. It was a scene reminiscent of last spring’s Champions League quarterfinal, where a Sterling goal at the absolute death was called off by a slight offside in the buildup.
Spurs escaped, just barely, and could hold their heads high at having won a point in arguably the most difficult fixture of the season.
Yet, Spurs would disappoint even further with their 1-0 defeat to Newcastle at home, in the third match of the season, this past weekend. Newcastle had been derided all summer, after unceremoniously sacking manager Rafa Benitez, and hiring the now clown like figure that is Steve Bruce. However, after watching this match, you could not help but admire the ex-Manchester United player for setting up such resolute defending.
Like the match against Villa, Spurs dominated possession against Newcastle. They controlled 79.8% of the possession, yet managed only two shots on target (only one other team with more possession has lost a Premier League match since 2003/04, that being Liverpool in 2016 in defeat to Burnley). As was the case against Villa,Christian Eriksen started the match on the bench, and came on in the 62nd minute. This time however, he failed to leave his mark. Spurs were unable to breakdown Bruce’s 5-4-1, and other than Lucas Moura missing an absolute sitter in the 80th minute, created very little.
This lack of incisiveness has become an increasing concern for Spurs in 2019. Too many clubs recently feel content to allow Spurs to play with the ball, comfortable that Spurs will create very little. This is being done by not only teams in the bottom half of the table, but Liverpool arguably set up this way in the Champions League final (although that match was turned with a goal in the second minute). There were late minute winners last season (Winks against Fulham and Eriksen against Brighton) that may have hid this inability to breakdown teams. Likewise, the near miraculous run to the Champions League final also obscures the overall poor quality of play Spurs ended last season with.
The solutions are not immediately evident. Spurs have been without Dele Alli for the first three matches this season, who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury. In prior seasons, Dele’s ability to put a slight touch on a ball, and create opportunities for himself and his teammates has proved instrumental (if there is any doubt of this, simply watch Lucas Moura’s last second winner in Amsterdam in the Champions League semifinal). He is thought to be nearing a return, perhaps as early as this coming week’s North London derby.
Another aspect that may have taken a dip this season is that Spurs are slightly weaker at fullback than they were over the last several seasons. Danny Rose has lost a step, since his peak two or three seasons ago. Furthermore, though Kieran Trippier had a difficult season from a defensive standpoint last season, where he was directly responsible for goals against in the Champions League knockout round to City and in the Premier League to Chelsea (and subsequently sold to Atletico Madrid for £20 million), his ability to deliver a deadly cross is missed. 22 year old Kyle Walker-Peters is attempting to fill his shoes, but appears a less effective player, who is also trying to find his feet in his defensive duties (though he managed reasonably well against Sterling, with a couple of excellent sliding tackles late in the match).
Spurs are also without Fernando Llorente, a player who was quite limited in terms of creativity and pace, but who provided Pochettino a more direct, Plan B towards the end of last season, when they were unable to breakdown their opposition.
What makes the performances even more concerning is that there appear to be mounting distractions away from the pitch. Pochettino continues to be consistently grumbling at the fact that the European transfer market closes a month (2 September) after the English window (8 August). After the match against Newcastle, Pochettino reiterated that there are some tensions within the club involving players that may be looking for a move elsewhere. Christian Eriksen’s situation remains up in the air, as he would prefer to move to a Spanish club for lifestyle purposes and a better opportunity to win silverware, and the fact that he will be a free agent next summer. Daniel Levy would prefer to sell him on now, in fears of losing him for nothing next summer. Eriksen could always sign a new contract, but given that he can be acquired by a European giant for free, his wage demands will (justifiably) be exorbitant, and it is unlikely that Levy would disrupt his well planned wage structure for a 27 year old.
Eriksen’s situation will likely come down to the wire on 2 September, as Real Madrid and Juventus, the two most rumoured suitors, have a glut of players that they still need to move on from (Gareth Bale, James Rodriguez, Paolo Dybala, Blaise Matiudi, Sami Khedira are all available if you want to pay their wages), before even considering taking on Eriksen. Likewise, these clubs may prefer to wait for the opportunity to sign him for free starting in January.
As a result of this distraction, it appears as though Pochettino has not been overly eager to insert Eriksen into his starting eleven (he has only started one match this season, the 2-2 draw with City). He will be faced with further questions leading up to the Arsenal match, which occurs a day before the European window closes.
Pochettino’s ire also appears to be directed at defender, Jan Vertonghen, who has yet to feature at all this season. Vertonghen, who proved to be a pivotal player in last season’s Champions League run, is also in the final year of his contract. Pochettino remains coy on the reasons for why Vertonghen has been left out of the team, but it could be that the Belgian defender is pining for a move like Eriksen, or has sought outrageous contract demands. Additionally, there has been some discussion that perhaps he was not fully physically prepared for preseason training and that Pochettino is taking his time to get him back into the lineup. After watching starting centreback Davinson Sanchez make a few miscues in the first three matches, there is reasonable bewilderment that Pochettino continues to not play his best side due to these issues at the club.
While many outsiders continue to marvel at Spurs overall consistency over the last five seasons under the helm of Mauricio Pochettino, where the club has qualified for the Champions League for four consecutive seasons, the club’s performances over the last several months, combined with the disenchantment from some of key players may reveal that there are definite cracks in the armour.
After a hectic start to the season in which Pacific FC played seven matches in just over three weeks, there had been a lull in action and buzz around town. The club had not played a match since 1 June (a 2-1 loss in Halifax to HFX Wanderers) and have not appeared at Westhills Stadium in almost a month (18 May, v York 9).
Part of that gap can be explained as the club crashed out of the Canadian Championship with two dull performances against runaway CanPL leaders, Cavalry FC, in mid May. An international break also took place last week, which saw the club’s young stalwart attacking midfielder, Noah Verhoeven called up to the Canadian Men’s National Team training camp in Los Angeles (Verhoeven’s inclusion in the camp marked the first time that a player from a Canadian Premier League club was called up to the Canadian national team).
Pacific had a two week break from match action, which allowed manager Michael Silberbauer the opportunity to give his players a much needed rest, while further learning what he had at his disposal through intense tactical training sessions.
Yet, despite this break, and facing a York 9 side that had played three days earlier in Edmonton, Pacific FC looked clearly the second best side on the pitch at York University Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
In a stark departure from its previous route-one approach, Pacific started the match playing a 4-3-3 formation, which excluded the presence of mercurial target man, Marcus Haber. Instead, Silberbauer deployed a trio of Terran Campbell, Ben Fisk and Victor Blasco to put pressure on the young York 9 backline, a strategy which helped his club score two first half goals against York last month.
The match could easily have gone Silberbauer’s way in the first five minutes. Much like how a well placed (and perhaps deviously played) ball from Sadio Mane hit the errant hand of Moussa Sissoko in the box in the Champions League Final’s first minute, immediately altering the tone and tenor of the match, it was Blasco’s “well placed” ball hitting York’s Luca Gasparotto’s hand in the same position. It gave Pacific an early opportunity to do the same as Liverpool had done to Spurs.
Ben Fisk looked tentative enough at the penalty spot, and telegraphed a low penalty which was astutely tracked and stopped by York 9’s stellar goalkeeper, Nathan Ingram. From there on, York 9 gradually took control of the match. They pressed Pacific’s beleaguered back line, and too often dispossessed Pacific’s Michael Baldisimo in the middle of the park.
In the 12th minute, it was the normally reliable Kadin Chung who was harangued, creating a poor turnover and allowing York’s Kyle Porter an excellent opportunity on goal, which was diverted away by Mark Village. Pacific’s other standout this season, Noah Verhoeven, was also muscled off the ball in the 26th minute, resulting in a swift change in possession that culminated in an extremely dangerous Emilio Estevez dipping shot which nearly found the back of the goal.
Village would continue to be under the cosh for the remainder of the first half, as York generated chance after chance through excellent wing play and crosses. Finally, in the 36th minute, it was York’s impressive fullback Morey Doner who fed a cross to Estevez, which was played through a creative dummy. Estevez’s low shot took a deflection off Ryan McCurdy, and trickled behind Village to give York a 1-0 lead.
It was a cruel blow for McCurdy, who was also credited for an own goal against York 9 at Westhills on 18 May. McCurdy was also responsible for a goal awarded to Dylan Carreiro in Pacific’s match against Valour on 1 May, when Carreiro’s shot deflected off his leg and found the back of the net. The lumbering centreback has been calamitous this season, but it remains somewhat harsh to bury him under a tidal wave of criticism, considering that he is playing in a role and level that he may in fact be ill-suited for (as he is replacing the injured Hendrik Starostzik).
Pacific finished the first half utterly befuddled and confused. As the second half progressed, Silberbauer elected to make a double switch at the 60th minute, bringing on Marcus Haber for Blasco, and inserting Zac Verhoven for Ben Fisk.
The change forced Pacific to play a more familiar direct game, and it nearly paid off. Within 10 minutes of coming into the match, Haber made an excellent run down the right flank, delivering a fantastic cross to Verhoven, who tried a cheeky skill move which hit the side of the net. It was the first bit of positive play for Pacific all afternoon, and offered a brief glimpse of the rare creativity that does exist on the team.
In the 77th minute, Verhoven would reciprocate, playing a cross from the left wing, which found Haber in the box. Haber’s run was perfectly timed, and he made a crisp and tidy volley which was calmly stopped by Ingram. Had it been any other goalkeeper in the league, it would have been a surefire goal, and the narrative around the match would have changed. But alas, this is football, where stories and takes are written based on what happened, rather than on what did not.
As the game petered out, Pacific showed very little further attacking impetus. Both teams seemed to wind each other up, as the physical play escalated. Both Baldisimo and Alexander Gonzalez were booked for heavy challenges, and York’s Ryan Telfer gave a petulant shove to Verhoeven after the match, as the full time whistle was blown. It was a 1-0 victory for York 9.
In seven matches played, Pacific has registered a single win (1-0 on 28 April, in their first match, against HFX Wanderers) and have suffered four defeats. They have also managed to score only five goals (Haber 2, Starostzik, Fisk, Hernandez 1 each) and have conceded 10 (including the two McCurdy own goals).
Pacific FC’s weaknesses continue to be exposed on a weekly basis, namely a young and inexperienced squad with very little veteran depth (decimated by injuries to Marcel De Jong and Starostzik), lack of defensive organization and sturdiness, and the deficiency of quick, technical, explosive counter-attacking players, which appear to be present on most other CanPL clubs, including Manny Aparicio, Rodrigo Gattas and Emilio Estevez, who all demonstrated those abilities in this match. HFX, York and Cavalry, all recent opponents, have also shown tactical variability and flexibility, something that Silberbauer has been unable to demonstrate thus far, with limited pickings on the bench.
With the loss, Pacific are now eliminated from contention in the Spring season. In a season full of learning experiences for the players, management and owners, the only positive from this afternoon was that this was yet another one.
It was the match for the ages, one that we had been anticipating for weeks on end. And then it ended, just like that. Our wildest hopes and dreams crushed instantly. It was the sport’s grandest stage, and one that our club may never see again, for a long while.
It has been a few days since Spurs dropped the Champions League final to Liverpool by a 2-0 scoreline in Madrid.
Ever since Lucas Moura scored the final second winner in Amsterdam in the Champions League semifinal on 8 May and put us all into a dream-like state, 1 June was circled on the calendar. Even though Spurs had finished 26 points behind Liverpool in the Premier League (97 points to 71), there was a growing sense of belief among Spurs supporters that perhaps, in fact, that the club could pull this out.
They had, after all, seen two incredible, breathtaking, heart stopping ties in the prior rounds, against a vastly superior Manchester City side, and an upstart and uptempo Ajax team, that had scalped Juventus and Real Madrid en route to the semi-final.
The match also marked the return of Harry Kane and Harry Winks to the Spurs lineup, both of whom played their last matches in the first leg of the Champions League Quarterfinal against Manchester City, on 9 April (Kane had been injured with yet another ankle injury, while Winks was recovering from a groin injury, which required minor surgery).
In the sweltering heat of Madrid, all it took was 23 seconds for the cascading tide of good feelings to come to a sudden halt. Sadio Mane’s attempt to cross the ball met an unfortunately placed, errant Moussa Sissoko hand, and a penalty was given to Liverpool. Mohamed Salah, who himself had the Champions League Final tragically ripped away a year earlier through injury inflicted by the villainous Sergio Ramos, stepped up to the spot, and coolly slotted the ball past Hugo Lloris, putting Liverpool ahead 1-0.
The rest of the match seemed to be played in quicksand, whether it was due to the oppressive Spanish summer heat, the three week hiatus from football both clubs had endured, or the extreme stakes that were on the line. With the early lead and the experience of playing on this stage, Liverpool felt increasingly comfortable sitting back, allowing Spurs to play with the ball (Spurs finished the match with 65% possession). Liverpool also had a paltry 64% pass completion rate. Yet in spite of this, Spurs never really threatened.
Spurs finished the match with eight shots on target, yet it appeared as though Alisson Becker, Liverpool’s brilliant keeper, was hardly tested.
Harry Kane was largely ineffective, managing only 26 touches over the entire match, the fewest of any player who started. Lucas Moura, the hat-trick hero from the semifinal, came on in the 65th minute for Harry Winks, and managed two shots on target during his time on the pitch, while Kane managed a single one. Son Heung-min, who had also been instrumental in Spurs’ run up to the final, was also ineffectual. A brief glimmer in the 75th minute saw the usually explosive Son sprung on a loose ball, offering a possible opening for Spurs to re-emerge in the match. Liverpool’s calming force, Virgil van Dijk, had other ideas. He kept pace with Son, eliminated his space, and casually overtook the ball. It was a brilliant bit of defending, a prime example of van Dijk’s quality and impact in containing Spurs’ attack.
A Divock Origi goal in the 87th minute killed off any hope for a Spurs comeback. The last few minutes played out as if Spurs were in on the coronation for Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp’s side had avenged their heartbreaking defeat suffered on the same stage a year earlier.
In the aftermath, much has been made about Mauricio Pochettino’s decision to start Harry Kane in place of Lucas Moura, and play him for the entirety of the match. Starting Kane was a risky proposition, forecasted in the buildup to the match, as Kane had not played in nearly two months, and was overcoming his second injury to his left ankle since January.
Additionally, Spurs managed to play well without Kane in the Premier League this past season, winning seven of 11 matches, and winning Champions League knockout ties against Dortmund, Manchester City and Ajax. When Kane returned from his first ankle injury in January, the team fell into a swoon. Lucas Moura meanwhile had filled in admirably, making his trademark darting runs in between defenders, scavenging loose second balls and using his quick twitch foot to keep goalkeepers on edge. His hat-trick goal to see off Ajax in the semifinal was the iconic moment of Pochettino’s project thus far at Spurs.
And yet, when Harry Kane is on, he offers Pochettino so many additional options and threats. Not only can he poach goals from seemingly dead balls in the box, but he can hold up the play, and can also drop back and play in a number 10 playmaking role. In a one match, winner take all situation, this surely is a tantalizing proposition. However, this form of Harry Kane was completely absent in Madrid. In the 25 and more minutes that Lucas played, he clearly seemed the more lively, threatening and effective player. His tears after the final whistle were palpable for anyone that watched his euphoria after the triumph in Amsterdam three weeks earlier.
In retrospect, not starting Lucas, substituting him so late, and playing Harry Kane the entire match seemed the total wrong decision. Yet, it is hard not to also make the counter point that had Lucas started, and Spurs lost, that Pochettino would have been criticized for leaving his Golden Ball winner and his certain goals on the bench.
This is the difficulty of being a manager. The outside observers seem to know best.
In the days since the final, it was revealed that Christian Eriksen, who will be entering the final year of his contract this upcoming season, is looking for new football challenges. He and his agent have revealed that he would like a “step-up” and are open to seeing if another club will come calling. It is rumoured that last summer, two Spanish clubs and another English club were interested in his services, and in his statement, Eriksen has spoken about how Real Madrid would be an example of the step-up.
This would be a deja-vu scenario for Spurs, as the club has also seen previous talismanic stars, Luka Modric and Gareth Bale move on to Real Madrid in successive years, and become bonafide global superstars, exceeding the accomplishments and profile that Spurs provided them.
Eriksen is now 27, has spent six seasons at Spurs, and has played more minutes and has run more kilometres than any other player in the club during this time. Perhaps this is the best time for Spurs to cash in on the Danish star, with the risk of losing him for free in six months, and the ongoing burdens of having to pay for the new stadium. Spurs’ chairman, Daniel Levy, has set a steep price of £ 130 million, which would help find some younger replacements (similar to how the Gareth Bale sale re-stocked the club in 2013), but it remains to be seen whether there will be a suitor at that cost. Eriksen has also stated that if there is no club that presents a “step-up” opportunity, that he will consider re-signing with the club. And why not? Spurs are a far different proposition today, than they were when Modric and Bale left.
Much of that will also depend on the future of Mauricio Pochettino. The Argentine manager has been heaped with praise from the footballing world for his work this year on a shoestring budget (compared to the financial giants of European football), for managing a team without a home ground for the majority of the season, and for adapting his team in the face of injury. Achieving another top four finish (the fourth year in a row the club has achieved this) and a Champions League Final appearance in the face of these pressures is a reflection of a masterful job. Yet, Pochettino himself has declared that these accomplishments are unsustainable if the club does not put in the appropriate investment into player recruitment and retention. It may seem like a missive to Daniel Levy to do just that.
My feeling is that Pochettino would prefer to be at Spurs long term, it provides him the autonomy to make footballing decisions, he has imposed his identity and culture in the club, and the club now has the best facilities in all of Europe. Yet, whether Pochettino commits long term will be dependent on whether Levy will offer him the resources to keep up with his rivals. Without the deep pockets of an Arab sheikh or a petroleum giant, this could be the sticking point going forward. Many of the jobs that Pochettino was linked with earlier this season (Manchester United and Real Madrid) appear to be occupied for the moment, but potential openings at Juventus and Bayern Munich (where Nico Kovac continues to receive mixed reviews), means that Levy will need to provide Pochettino with some concessions to keep him away from the growing competition.
So here we are. Less than a week after the biggest match that many of us supporters have seen our club play, we have experienced the utter disappointment of coming so far, and leaving empty handed, and also having to deal with endless questions about the club’s future.
Getting to the Champions League Final was an incredible accomplishment, one that left many permanent indelible memories of why we love this game. Yet, the news of this week also reminds us that getting to this stage was an incredibly rare feat, one that requires the genuine alchemy of talent, shrewd management decisions and a bit of luck.
We can only hope and dream that we rediscover this combination again, to get back to this stage and re-live it all again.
After a handful of home matches, the novelty of attending Pacific FC matches at Westhills Stadium this season remains intriguing. The club has put in considerable effort towards creating a festival environment, with local DJs blaring the usual mindless dance hits from the past decade while patrons swill local craft beer at the vast beer garden which overlooks the pitch. The two local supporters’ groups have been consistently bringing a constant din of noise, energy and flag waving, both before and during the entire match.
Yet there continues to be a stark contrast between the energy of the swaying stands, and the relatively static and uninspiring performances from the team on the pitch.
Pacific dropped the first leg of the Canadian Championship on 15 May at Westhills to Cavalry FC of Calgary, 2-0 on a wet, windy and overall dreary Wednesday night. Cavalry came into the match as the clear cut top team in the Canadian Premier League, reeling off three wins in their first three matches, all in convincing style.
After being held scoreless in its two previous matches (a 3-0 loss at Forge FC, and a 0-0 draw in Edmonton), Pacific were bolstered by the return of striker Marcus Haber, who had missed both matches with a foot injury. Despite whatever lift that Haber was meant to provide, Cavalry quickly trampled on Pacific’s will early in the match and played at a completely different octave for the opening half hour, much like Forge had done a week earlier.
In the ninth minute, Cavalry’s Dominick Zator headed in a Nico Pasquotti long throw past Pacific keeper Nolan Wirth to put the visitors ahead. In the 16th minute, Brazilian Oliver Minatel completed an audacious diving header on a precise cross delivered by Pasquotti, and it was very quickly a 2-0 lead. Two away goals. The damage was done. Pacific looked completely listless and out of ideas as the match petered out with little inspiration.
Having a tall target, like the one that Marcus Haber provides, causes Pacific FC to play a simple route-one football that becomes incredibly easy and predictable for opponents to defend. Against Cavalry, in spite of his towering height, Haber not only lost the aerial battles, but flat out lost second ball situations as well. Pacific were unable to mount any sustained attack, and due to the youth and inexperience of its central midfielders (21 year old Matthew Baldisimo and 19 year old Alessandro Hojabrpour), Cavalry ran completely roughshod in the midfield battle. It was a comprehensive destruction which left little hope that Pacific FC could overturn the tie in the second leg.
Pacific were provided an opportunity to improve its self esteem and positive vibes three days later, as York 9 arrived to Westhills for a Canadian Premier League match. Michael Silberbauer opted to play Jose Hernandez up front with Haber (whereas Issey Nakajima-Farran, who is demonstrating his age at times this season, started against Cavalry), perhaps as an attempt to help mop up second balls with his pace and energy.
Facing a growing crowd of critics and dissenters, Haber finally scored his first goal of the season, placing his head on a well placed in-swinging corner from Ben Fisk in the 28th minute. It seemed to fill him with energy and wiped away feelings of self doubt, as he pressed York 9’s back three early in the match with a renewed sense of vigour and purpose. Fisk’s terrific first half continued as he elegantly placed a shot from outside the penalty area and through a slight deflection, found the top corner of the net, in the 42nd minute to also open his account for the season. The deflection may preclude the goal from being a goal-of-the-season candidate, but there is no doubt of the quality of Fisk’s strike. It was the perfect postage stamp moment of the first half, one in which Pacific were finally playing the high energy, high tempo, possession based football that its supporters had dreamed of at the start of the season.
That quickly came to halt within the first 15 minutes of the second half. York 9 manager Jimmy Brennan, shifted his back three to a flat back four, made Pacific’s press less effective, which enabled York to hold more possession. They also benefited from a debatable penalty decision, as Pacific centreback Ryan McCurdy was deemed to have pushed down York forward Simon Adjei in a challenge over a corner in the 50th minute. Rodrigo Gattas would convert the penalty, and York 9’s players were suddenly teeming with confidence.
In the 62nd minute, another York 9 corner caused chaos for McCurdy, as an aerial battle with Adjei resulted in McCurdy deflecting the ball past Pacific keeper, Mark Village. The excellent work of the first half was completely undone, and by the end of 90 minutes, York indeed looked the better side.
McCurdy had a difficult match as evidenced by the pair of gaffes early in the second half. But perhaps that criticism is slightly unfair to him. Pacific had been counting on Marcel de Jong and Hendrik Starostzik to provide the bulk of the service at centre back, however unexpected injuries to both have caused McCurdy to play more than intended. The 27 year old has indeed played a full 90 minutes for the third time in under a week, a fierce workload for even the most elite players.
Pacific also has appeared relatively lightweight in the middle of the park, with both Baldisimo and Hojabrpour showing occasional glimpses of quality, but who have both been overwhelmed by the pressure of the opposition midfields. Prior to the York 9 match, the club announced the signing of 24 year old Panamanian midfielder Alexander Gonzalez from Playa Amador of Panama, who has been touted as a Claude Makelele box-to-box midfielder (would that not be great?), who can help solidify an area of the club’s weakness.
After five matches, Pacific FC are well off being title challenges for the CanPL Spring season, having claimed only 5 points in their first 5 matches (the Spring season consists of 10 matches total). Undoubtedly, the club has suffered from a thin squad, injuries to veteran players and thrusting young and inexperienced players into prominent roles. Although much of the talk from owners Rob Friend and Josh Simpson before the season was to bring a title challenger and Canadian Championship threat to Vancouver Island, it appears as though the priority may have shifted for this season to that of player development, as Silberbauer continues to rely on largely young, although promising, players in his lineup.
Though the result was disappointing, the match against York 9 did provide a slight peek into the energy and excitement that Pacific FC can provide on the pitch, if and when those young players blossom. There remains no doubt however that much work remains in the coming months for the on-pitch product to match the youthful, energetic and fun one found off the pitch.
Like the opening to any good novel, the first few pages provide an introduction to the key characters and their lot in life. Three weeks in, and the key characters in the inaugural Canadian Premier League season have been introduced, but it remains far too early to draw any wide sweeping conclusions about any team, manager or player.
Yet, as Pacific FC has played its first four matches, it is hard not to look at some of the storylines that have emerged and wonder about some potentially worrisome trends that have developed.
Pacific successfully opened their season at home at Westhills Stadium in Langford on 28 April with a 1-0 victory against HFX Wanderers. It was a sun drenched, festive occasion, and the workman like performance on the pitch was largely overshadowed by the overall positive, carnival-like atmosphere that introduced the club to Vancouver Island locals.
The swelling crowd and raucous enthusiasm of the opening match was slightly dimmed when Pacific lost at home on 1 May, 2-1 to Valour FC from Winnipeg. The visitors took an early 1-0 lead from a nice strike from Stephen Hoyle, who was arguably slightly offside in the buildup. 19 year old Jose Hernandez equalized for Pacific at the stroke of half-time, but Valour’s Dylan Carreiro put Valour up for good in the 78th minute, as his shot from outside the box took the most unfortunate bounce off Pacific defender, Ryan McCurdy’s hanging leg and dribbled past Pacific keeper, Mark Village.
The match proved to be a frustrating occasion for Pacific, who by the end of 90 minutes held a 57-43 advantage in possession, showed some skillful ingenuity from Noah Verhoeven and Kadin Chung, but could not capitalize on a series of crosses put into the Valour penalty area. Perhaps most calamitous was Marcus Haber missing two absolute sitters in front of goal, earning early consideration for blooper of the year and ample derision on CanPL social media.
Haber, who was brought in from Dundee FC of the Scottish Premiership, was touted upon signing with Pacific to be a potential goal merchant and a respected leadership figure for the young players that are littered throughout the lineup. Unfortunately, the ignominy of that Valour match has proven to be the lasting image of the striker thus far this season, as he has missed the last two matches with an infected blister on one of his toes.
Comical finishing in front of goal or not, Haber’s absence has been undoubtedly felt, as Pacific dropped a 3-0 decision to Forge in Hamilton on 8 May, and also failed to score despite playing 11 v 10 for an hour in Edmonton on 12 May.
In what was their first ever away match, the club looked completely bamboozled in the first 20 minutes in Hamilton. Forge FC, led by a surprisingly springy and skillful David Choiniere and a dizzying Emery Welshmen, pinged the ball around standstill Pacific defenders and buzzed around the Pacific penalty area. They took a 2-0 lead in the first 14 minutes, well before Pacific could manage a worthy touch of the ball. By the time Pacific had found its bearings, the game was well out of reach, and even then, they continued to appear bereft of ideas. 20 year old Terran Campbell replaced Haber to lead Pacific’s attack for the evening, and despite the obvious difference in skillset and size between the two players, Pacific continued to play a direct game, with largely unmet crosses into the box. It proved to be a completely impotent performance, and raised questions about Pacific’s lack of depth.
The club appears to have invested much of their salary cap space (which remains a league wide state secret) on experienced defender Marcel de Jong, who tore his Achilles tendon in preseason training. In addition to missing de Jong and Haber, Pacific has also been without central defender, Hendik Starostzik, who scored the club’s first goal in its first match, and has not played since, purportedly nursing a foot injury. These three players represent Pacific’s best and most experienced options, and without them, the club has had a roster of only 17 players, many of whom are young and inexperienced at the professional level.
Manager Michael Silberbauer has been forced to play young players by necessity, not necessarily by choice. Outside of Issey Nakajima-Farran, the club does not have another player over 30, and relies on midfielders largely in their early 20s. Silberbauer has also fielded the youngest player in the league, Ahmed Alghamdi, a 17 year high school student, in two substitute appearance. Pacific FC has already eclipsed the league required 1,000 minutes from U21 players in its first three matches (York 9 is second, with 401 minutes in two matches) and will likely continue to rely on these players as no further signings are anticipated anytime soon.
Pacific traveled cross country to Edmonton, playing FC Edmonton in their home opener four days after the Forge match. Silberbauer made only two changes from the disaster in Hamilton, starting Jose Hernandez (who is from Edmonton) and starting Ryan McCurdy ahead of Blake Smith. After a nervy start for both clubs, the 27th minute brought a flashpoint as Edmonton’s Phillipe Lincourt-Joseph was sent off for a two footed lunge on McCurdy.
Whether the straight red was justified or not, it provided Silberbauer’s road weary side a well timed opportunity to play on the front foot. Yet, despite over an hour of playing 11 v 10, it appeared as though Edmonton was the better team, as they defended resolutely, countered with pace and generated the better chances. Pacific appeared leggy in the second half (Terran Campbell was seen huffing and puffing throughout), fired a series of meagre shot attempts at Edmonton keeper Connor James, and were probably lucky to leave with a point.
With only four matches played, of course there is much left to be written about Pacific FC’s inaugural season. No doubt the schedule to start the season has been cruel, as it has had four matches in 13 days, with grueling cross country travel. It has been a turbulent ride until now, with the incredible high of the first victory in the first match, tempered with injuries to its most well known and most experienced players, forcing a series of unheralded and unproven players to take the stage.
Like with any great novel however, the conditions are now set for an unexpected hero to emerge. For that, we await.
Riding a roller coaster presents you with a variety of emotional experiences. There is that sense of trepidation as you are secured into the seat by a much too young looking attendant, the palpable dread as the car ascends a seemingly endless distance, and a stomach turning thrill as it harries wildly downwards.
The ride puts you through a series of these lifts and drops, and by the end, you feel a veritable buzz, a deep sense of satisfaction felt to your core, and a strong desire to do it all over again.
The second leg of the Champions League semi final featuring Spurs and Ajax played in Amsterdam provided exactly that experience.
I have supported Spurs for over a decade and have never experienced the full range of emotions I experienced during those 97 minutes on Wednesday. By the end, it was the best kind of thrill ride; one that takes you from the troughs of dread and despair to the heights of ecstasy and joy. It has me positively giddy for the next one, which will be played on the grandest stage of them all… (remarkably!) the Champions League Final, on 1 June in Madrid.
Certainly, by now, news of Spurs’ unlikely and miraculous 3-2 victory in Amsterdam, capped by a 96 minute winner (and hat-trick) by Lucas Moura is not news. In the hours that have passed, there have been excellent recaps of the experience written by some of my favourite journalists.
Jack Lang (The Athletic) wrote about how Mauricio Pochettino willed this rag-tag team to such immense glory. Rory Smith (NYT) in his excellent piece, which mostly describes the cruelty of the loss for a young and confident Ajax team (ever more so in the context of UEFA discussing the possibility of making the Champions League more exclusive for the elite clubs in coming years), also explains that Pochettino “now stands on the cusp of one of the unlikeliest, finest managerial achievements imaginable: winning the Champions League in a season with, by modern English standards, the scantest resources imaginable.” Finally, Kevin Clark (The Ringer) describes how the pejorative term “Spursy” is truly dead based on this most recent string of performances in the Champions League.
I certainly will not rehash the match events, as I have done in previous posts, but I do intend to share where my emotions were throughout the lead- up to the match and beyond.
In spite of losing the first leg at home last week 1-0, I initially felt slight optimism that Spurs would find a way to win in Amsterdam. For one, the pace of Son Heung-min would return to the lineup after suspension, and stretch the Ajax defense. He also would help provide a cutting edge, and the ability to turn the game on its head with a single counterattack as he had done so often this season. Secondly, it is a fact that Spurs played well in the second half of the first leg. This was powered largely by the substitution of Jan Vertonghen for Moussa Sissoko, and it was Sissoko who provided excellent transition play allowing Spurs to build confidently from the back.
Yet, all of that optimism was swept away as Spurs limply fell away to Bournemouth 1-0 on the weekend. It was a match Spurs should have won, to assure themselves of a top four finish, however, two red cards (to Son and Juan Foyth) proved too difficult to overcome. What should have been an aperitif, a light workout for the team prior to bigger matters in the Netherlands, turned into an energy sapping disappointment. It was just another loss in Spurs’ ongoing prolonged slump in the Premier League and raised questions about the team’s diminishing energy levels, lack of depth, and yes, its “Spursyness.”
As anticipation for the match grew, I sensed the dread that this would be Spurs’ last European match of the season. However, that negative tide was gently swept away the night before, as Liverpool incredibly overturned a 3-0 deficit in the first leg in Barcelona, and came out as 4-0 victors at Anfield. It was a profoundly inspirational performance, one which saw Liverpool play the perennial favourite for the Champions League off the park, and which gave even non-sports people the belief that anything is truly possible. Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, was quite calm the day prior to the match, well aware of the difficult situation the club was in with a 3-0 deficit. Yet in a contemplative and pragmatic manner, he said defiantly that Liverpool would give it all they had, and that “[they] win tonight or fail beautifully.”
After watching Liverpool rise up to his words, it felt like Pochettino and Spurs’ were also lifted by it. Despite the poor pattern of play in the Premier League in recent weeks, there was a sense of optimism and hope.
It may not have seemed that way, when Ajax went up 1-0 in the fifth minute on a Matthijs de Ligt goal, or after the 35th minute after the brilliant Hakim Ziyech put the hosts up 2-0. In fact, it seemed like Spurs were done and dusted at that point. I myself lost hope and in dismay texted a few colleagues at half time “it’s over.”
Yet, in the second half, Spurs demonstrated such a fierce and incredible fighting spirit that has rarely been seen in previous iterations of the team. Lucas Moura, became a club legend and scored all three goals to give Spurs the win, but it seemed like all his teammates also deserve a share of the credit as well. Whether it was Fernando Llorente who provided Spurs with an aerial threat throughout the second half, keeping Ajax’s defenders on edge, or Dele Alli who played more forward up the pitch than in recent matches, and who made several key runs, feigns and flicks, which directly led to two of Moura’s goals. Mention must also be made of Jan Vertonghen who played courageously with a face mask after breaking his nose a week earlier, and Hugo Lloris, who even when Spurs looked to be taking over the match, was forced to make several game stopping shots, including one from Ziyech in injury time.
After the match had ended, the emotional scenes that played out on the pitch were a culmination of the intense drama and theatre that we were privy to watch. Pochettino, with his jacket far flung and necktie unfurled, was overcome with emotion, collapsing to the ground and then when lifted up, applauding the traveling fans and imploring them to give the hosts a round of applause. He embraced his players, with tears streaming down his face, proud of the fight and courage they showed. Clips emerged from the change room, where the club triumphantly and openly drank Heineken, and where the celebrations were punctuated with a stirring and slurry rendition of Oasis’s Wonderwall. Social media was littered with clips from supporters groups all over the world, where supporters celebrated in ever more wild and surreal ways, never really seen previously amongst the current generation of Spurs’ supporters. And of course, there was a great clip of Steve Nash, forever a Yid, brought to his feet with a jolt of excitement and then a face full of tears after the Moura winner.
I have long wondered whether my obsession with sport, particularly football is healthy and productive. There is no question, that it may detract from other aspects of my life. But every so often, you are afforded with moments like what we felt on Wednesday. Moments that make you feel like the end of the world is near, situations in which there is no hope to be found. Yet with a bit of human skill, ingenuity, inspiration and of course, a bit of luck, you are reminded with the flick of a ball, that everything is okay, and that everything is indeed possible.
For a club that had a brief surge after opening arguably the finest football stadium in the world this past month, that is a victory away from reaching the final of the Champions League, and that has remained in a top four position in the Premier League for much of the season, Spurs’ recent form is quite shocking as it is disappointing.
23 February: Burnley 2 Tottenham 1
27 February: Chelsea 2 Tottenham 1
2 March: Tottenham 1 Arsenal 1
9 March: Southampton 2 Tottenham 1
31 March: Liverpool 2 Tottenham 1
3 April: Tottenham 2 Crystal Palace 0
13 April: Tottenham 4 Huddersfield 0
20 April: Manchester City 1 Tottenham 0
23 April: Tottenham 1 Brighton 0
27 April: Tottenham 0 West Ham 1
4 May: Bournemouth 1 Tottenham 0
Spurs have lost seven of their past 11 Premier League matches, and had this been any other season, with any other challengers, surely this recent run of results would have knocked Tottenham out of European football for next season. Yet, while Spurs have struggled and have gained only three of a possible 12 points since 20 April (thanks to Michael Caley for the stat!), Chelsea have claimed only five, Manchester United only two and Arsenal (appallingly) only one.
Although Spurs, who played with nine men for 43 minutes, were defeated by a beach bound Bournemouth side with nothing on the line this past Saturday, it was Arsenal’s 1-1 tie with Brighton and United’s 1-1 draw with Huddersfield the following day, that nearly assured Spurs’ fourth consecutive Champions League qualification. Arsenal will need a Spurs defeat to Everton, and will need to overturn an eight-goal difference in victory against Burnley on the final day. This seems highly improbable.
Spurs recent downturn in form can likely be explained by a few factors, which underlie why performances, other than a few moments of magic, have been largely staid and static over the last several weeks.
Injuries and lack of depth
Much has been made of Spurs’ lack of transfer activities this season, and they are the first and only side in Premier League history to not make a single transfer in the lead up or during the season. This was largely justified, as the club’s financial resources were tied up in expenses related to the new stadium, and the cost for the most marginal of players was deemed overly indulgent and not financially prudent (eg: Wilfried Zaha or Jack Grealish for £50 million). Likewise, the acquisition of Lucas Moura and Moussa Sissoko in recent windows proved that Mauricio Pochettino’s system takes some time for even the most cultured footballer to acclimate to, as neither player was successfully integrated into the squad immediately, despite the high price tags. Yet, as the season has worn on, Spurs have experienced an injury crisis that they have been unable to effectively cope with.
Eric Dier has played a handful of matches since Christmas, and has looked a shadow of his best self (including a 45 minute horror show this past weekend against Bournemouth, in which he surely should have been sent off).
Harry Kane first injured his left ankle in January, late in a 1-0 loss to Manchester United. He hurried back in time for the North London derby in early March, never looked fully fit, and then reinjured the same ankle on 9 April, in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal against Manchester City. Kane, not only poaches goals, but is crucial in the club’s efforts to press and harangue opposition defenders, provide holdup play for the Spurs’ other creative players, and can also provide tactical flexibility, as he has the ability to drop back and make critical, incisive passes. Spurs have survived in the Champions League without Kane, largely due to the explosive pace of Son Heung-min and his devastating counterattacks. However, when Son misses matches (as he did in the first leg of the Champions League semifinal, or in the second half of the match this past weekend against Bournemouth, as he was sent off), Spurs look slightly beyond their best in trying to cope with an energetic but inefficient Lucas Moura, a lumbering Fernando Llorente and even the much maligned, long forgotten, Vincent Janssen (who has made two recent, late substitute appearances in recent weeks).
Harry Winks has proven to be an indispensable and more important link in Spurs’ buildup play over the last two seasons, and has notched a few memorable moments namely his performance at the Bernabeu in the Champions League group stage in 2017, and his late second match winner this past January at Fulham. However, Winks suffered a groin injury in early March, and other than featuring for 21 minutes against Crystal Palace in the first match at the new stadium, he has been out of the lineup. Winks underwent surgery on his groin late last month, and has been unable to contribute to this deep European run. Without Mousa Dembele, who was sold to the Chinese League in the January window, and without a healthy Eric Dier, Spurs have had to use Moussa Sissoko relentlessly in the second half of this season. Sissoko himself was hurt in the Champions League quarterfinal, second leg, and the much less mobile Victor Wanyama was forced to cover. Winks’ vital role in the squad was exposed during this period.
Erik Lamela (who has not played since the North London derby in March) and Serge Aurier (who has missed ten matches in a row) have been also injured with groin and hamstring injuries. Although neither player have been starting many matches this season, they have proven to be reliable covers at their respective positions, their absences further compounding Pochettino’s issues with squad depth.
Diminished performances from Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen and Kieran Trippier
Much of Spurs’ success over the last four seasons has been due to the quality of performances delivered by Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen. Because of the issues related to injury and the lack of depth, Pochettino has had to rely moreso on Christian Eriksen to provide the club with some quality and creativity, particular when Kane, Son and Dele have been out. Eriksen is second on the club in minutes played this season at 3,859 in all competitions (only Toby Alderweireld has played more at 4,093) and has been the leader in minutes played over the last four seasons. Surely coming off a long summer, in which he captained Denmark to an appearance in the round of 16 at the World Cup, there must be an element of fatigue. Eriksen’s performances have been largely inconsistent and he has shown a lack of quality at times, hitting errant passes or misfiring shots over the target. Though he has notched nine goals this year, including big goals in the Champions League to help the club qualify for the knockout stage, he is behind last season’s 14 and the 12 he scored in 2016-17.
Dele Alli has also been wildly inconsistent this season, missing time in January through March with a hamstring strain, and fracturing his hand against Manchester City in the Champions League quarterfinal. Dele has scored only seven goals this season, and only once since Christmas. This pales in comparison to the 22 goals he scored in 2016-17. Additionally, due to the injuries in midfield, Dele has had to play in various roles in the midfield, from the wing, and into more defensive roles (as he did against Manchester City, when Moussa Sissoko was injured in the second leg of the quarterfinal). He continues to generate chances, as evidenced this past weekend with multiple attempts on target. However, the cutting edge has been largely lacking.
Kieran Trippier, who was viewed as a golden boy and one of the best right backs in the Premier League after his impressive showing with England at last summer’s World Cup, has had a disastrous season. Trippier’s strengths include his crosses and set pieces, both of which have failed to live up to the same standard he provided last season and during the World Cup. Additionally, he has been a liability defensively, prone to taking an extra, careless touch. Stats provider, Squawka, noted Trippier gave away possession 28 times in the first leg of the Champions League semifinal against Ajax. Pochettino could have relied on Serge Aurier to fill in for Trippier, but again, Aurier has been injured for much of the second half of the season. Kyle Walker-Peters has also slotted into right back duties this season, but his inexperience and defensive frailty have also been part of the reason he has been held out in the more important matches. Pochettino has also been forced to play Juan Foyth out of position as a right back, most notably against Manchester City.
With all these issues affecting the club, it is a wonder how Pochettino has managed to guide the squad to such accomplishments this season. He has certainly received a bit of luck in the league with the collapses of his biggest rivals for top four position, and a bit of pixie dust in the Champions League quarterfinals (VAR anyone?), but based on the most recent results in the league, the worry is that the clock will strike midnight for Cinderella later this week.
Although the stage for the evening was grand and far beyond any realistic dreams for the club at the outset of the current season, the first leg of the Champions League semifinal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was met with a slight sense of dread and foreboding amongst the club’s most ardent supporters.
For one, Spurs were up against an upstart, dynamic, giant-killing Ajax side, that stylishly disposed of European giants Real Madrid and Juventus, and crucially won away legs at two of the most revered and hallowed venues in all of sport.
Spurs meanwhile limped into the evening, having lost at home in the Premier League on the weekend against West Ham. It was a match that Spurs lost control of in the second half, and after Michail Antonio bullied past Davinson Sanchez and slotted a 67th minute winner past Hugo Lloris, Spurs were completely spent. They were out of gas, out of inspiration and out of options, as Mauricio Pochettino desperately put out an impotent duo of Vincent Janssen and Fernando Llorente to search for a late equalizer. Not surprisingly, it did not come.
(NOTE: Janssen came on as a late substitute in the previous match, a 1-0 win versus Brighton, and made his first appearance for the club since August 2017)
Devoid of energy, Spurs were also undermanned for the semifinal. An incandescent source of light and pace this season, Son Heung-min was ruled out, suspended after accumulating a second yellow card in the second leg of the quarterfinal. The club was also decimated with injury, with Harry Kane recovering from his ankle injury, Harry Winks having had surgery on his groin earlier in the week, and Serge Aurier and Eric Lamela still sidelined with groin and hamstring issues. There was also doubt as to whether the graft and power of Moussa Sissoko would feature, as he too was recovering from a groin strain, and missed the previous two Premier League matches against Brighton and West Ham.
Pochettino elected to start the semifinal with a lone defensive midfielder in Victor Wanyama, protecting a back three of Jan Vertonghen, Sanchez and Toby Alderweireld. Danny Rose and Kieran Trippier were deployed as wing backs, with Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen playing behind Llorente and Lucas Moura. This certainly did not feel like Spurs’ first team, and definitely did not feel like a team that was ready and confident to play on one of the sport’s grandest stages, a European Cup semifinal.
The stage fright absolutely froze Spurs in the first half hour, as Ajax played with a dizzying, free form bravado, redolent of the swashbuckling Ajax and Dutch sides of 1970s. Spurs were clearly stuck in a freeze frame, clearly second best in every aspect, and during this first half hour, held only 31% of the possession. Yet, remarkably, Spurs conceded only once, with Donny van de Beek finishing a glorious buildup featuring exquisite passing between David Neres to Lasse Schone to Hakim Ziyech to van de Beek, who caught Danny Rose woefully out of position. Van de Beek feigned once and then a second time, freezing Lloris, and cooly putting the ball into the net. Ajax were off.
Spurs’ bewilderment continued as the first half dragged on, and it was chiefly the medical staff that came under close scrutiny as play continued. In the 31st minute, former Ajax now Tottenham central defenders, Vertonghen and Alderweireld both leaped simultaneously to play a cross in the Ajax penalty area, and forcefully clashed heads. Vertonghen took the worst of the knocks, with his nose squarely hitting the back of Alderweireld’s head. What followed was akin to a scene out of an over the top war movie, as blood gushed out of Vertonghen’s nose, and the medical team frantically attempted to control the carnage. Following the repairs, Vertonghen was allowed back onto the pitch in the 37th minute, and within moments, proved that he indeed did have a concussion, appearing woozy and unsteady on his feet. As he walked off the pitch, he collapsed into the arms of Pochettino on the touchline, and clearly was not in any state to continue.
Spurs’ doctors will claim that all the proper concussion testing was done on Vertonghen in the six minutes that passed between initial contact and the time that he was allowed back onto the pitch, however, this of course is impossible. Given the impact of the collision, the symptoms he demonstrated in the immediate aftermath, an independent physician or medical team would have recommended that Pochettino make a substitution, that there be no way that Vertonghen would be in any state to continue. While that ultimately did happen, the optics of the initial missed diagnosis were made apparent to the millions of viewers watching from afar. Rightfully, questions will be asked about how concussions are diagnosed, whether football has a problem in spotting, diagnosing and managing them, and whether club medical staff are inherently too invested in the results on the football pitch to properly care about the players and their health off of it.
Much like Vertonghen, Spurs left the pitch at the end of the first half dazed, bloodied and confused. They clearly lacked the pace of Son Heung-min to lead explosive counterattacks, an x-factor that helped the club earn results against Dortmund in the round of 16 and Manchester City in the quarterfinal. They also continued to lack the incisiveness of Kane to rip open the Ajax defense, and keep them on their toes. Fernando Llorente’s lack of pressing game also enabled Ajax to efficiently build attacks from the back.
Yet, despite many of these inadequacies, it was the man who replaced Vertonghen, Moussa Sissoko, who helped provide some stability and balance to the Spurs’ side. Sissoko provided excellent transition up the pitch, and helped provide attacking players with more opportunities to create chances. As the second half wore on, Ajax seemed content to sit further back, and Spurs launched more crosses into the penalty area. Spurs improved their final possession numbers to 52-48 for Ajax, and finished the night with seven shots versus Ajax’s four. Unfortunately, none of those chances amounted to anything of true substance.
A possible moment of importance that we may reflect on in a week’s time as a turning point, took place in the 78th minute, as Ajax continued to show occasional flickers of their first half-hour brilliance. With Spurs launched forward to look for an equalizer, Noussair Mazraoui led a dogged counter attack, laid off to Dusan Tadic in the box, who found David Neres uncovered in a dangerous area in front of goal. Neres’s left footed shot froze Hugo Lloris, and stopped the hearts of Spurs’ supporters, as it dribbled in slow motion, hit the goal post, and quickly popped out for Sissoko to clear from danger. If something had gone right for Spurs, it was that.
Two away goals for Ajax would have made a comeback in Amsterdam extremely difficult, but this glance off the post was a fortuitous gift that leaves next week’s return leg with everything still to play for.
There remains a glimmer of hope yet, and if this Spurs team has shown anything this season, it is that they perform best when there remains the faintest traces of hope.
Jaikan Sport 