Spurs Go Down Fighting
Well done, Leicester City. A superhuman feat, perhaps the most extraordinary in the sport’s history. Aside from having to accept the painful truth that Spurs will finish above Chelsea, both Manchester clubs, Liverpool and— with any luck— Arsenal, and still not win the League, you have to say the East Midlanders have been deserving victors. Clink together a row of Jagerbombs: Jamie Vardy and the gang have done it. History is made.
Tottenham’s title challenge took its last stand at Stamford Bridge on Monday night. The best thing you could say about that is that they certainly went down fighting. Before and after Eden Hazard’s gut-socking leveller, when hope was restored and then lost again, the cards rained down like yellow confetti. Nine in total.
For a team who’ve been lauded for doing things the right way this season, it was a miserable closing chapter to their title challenge.
You could legislate for one or two rambunctious challenges after the equalizer. It must be difficult to stifle your emotions when the dream you’ve worked so hard to cultivate is dying in front of your eyes— and that can manifest in ugly ways. Eye-gouging and full-impact reducers from behind are never fun but you could almost understand what might have lead to these uncharacteristic flashes of violence.
Especially if we’re to believe reports that Cesc Fàbregas and Diego Costa were showing themselves to be unbearable sh*ts throughout the evening.
But why on earth was Kyle Walker not-so-sneakily leaving his studs on Pedro’s arse in the first half? Spurs were winning, for heaven’s sake. If ever there was a need for composed heads, it’s at 2-0 up against the Champions in a must-win game. Equally, if ever there was a sure-fire method of lighting the touch paper of an already fervid occasion, and provoke others into pointless acts of stupidity, it was Walker’s on-going feud with the Spanish international. Totally unnecessary.
Some might argue that, at worst, it showed these young players are capable of sticking up for themselves. While it’s true an earlier vintage of this side might have shrunk in the face of the Chelsea fans’ hostilities and Fabregas’ reported ball-slapping, there’re other, smarter ways to assert your authority. As we’ve shown over the course of the season. We could’ve beaten Chelsea, drawn out the title race for another few days, without being sucked into schoolyard nonsense with a mid-table club.
A night to forget, then; but certainly a season to remember. It’s been enormous fun following Spurs this year, and not just in an ironic, oh-I-wonder-how-they’ll -let us-down-this-time kind of way. Finally, a team and a manager we can be proud of. On Sunday lunchtime we host Southampton knowing that three points will secure second place. I’m sure, deep down, we can all live with that.
6 Responses to Spurs Go Down Fighting