Spurs have fought back to get two big results this week but they’re still not playing that well.
There’s a bit of negativity around them still even though they’ve gone through in the Champions League and are third in the league.
You feel like there’s always just a little bit more within them. When I look at the players, I think there’s a lot of talent there.
You’d prefer the manager to say “go out there and enjoy yourselves”, especially against teams like Bournemouth, and even Marseille. They struggled in the first halves home and away against them.
You think the team is good enough just go out and beat them because they’re the better side.
It’s frustrating that they’ve to go a goal down to start playing.
That all said, they are winning games, and there are plenty of ways to do that – not everyone can play like Man City and totally dominate from start to finish.
And there’s no better way to win as a player than coming from behind in the last minute. You saw how the team celebrated on Tuesday night, that helps forget the first half and how it went.
The buzz of that can carry on into the next game too.
DON’T MISS CROUCHY’S SHOUTS FOR SPURS V LIVERPOOL THIS SUNDAY
But it does feel like they’re inviting pressure on when they don’t need to.
Spurs fans are tolerating Conte and his tactics because they want success and the manager has a record of bringing that, but at the end of the season, if they’re trophyless, if they fall out of the top 4 and if the football’s not been great they wouldn’t be very sad were his contract to run out.
But if he delivers a trophy he’ll be celebrated forever more. That’s how cutthroat football is.
Liverpool Will Still Make Top 4
The win over Napoli was an important result. They’ve been flying this season while Liverpool have been inconsistent. I know both sides were through, but I still think they needed to find a performance to erase Forest and Leeds.
There are a lot of factors to Liverpool’s struggles this season. Injuries have been one, changes in the squad with Mane leaving another, and a loss of form for some players, but they do still have the ability to go on a run in the second half of the season.
I don’t see them finishing outside the top 4 even if winning the league now looks like too big a task.
You might look at the World Cup and think they can get to that and regroup for January, but it’s not going to be a break for a lot of the players – if there were that might be good for Liverpool,
But this is going to be a season like no other and how the players come back from Qatar is going to be a bit of a lottery.
I think you’ll see some bizarre results because of it. There’s an opportunity for teams without many players going to the World Cup to be fresh in the New Year and take on players who’ve been playing a lot of football.
World Cup Injuries Show Ridiculous Timing
I’ve no doubt clubs would be very happy to see a few minor knocks taking some of their stars out of the tournament and giving them four weeks of rest.
You see a lot of injuries knocking players out squads now. It just shows how ridiculous it is to move the World Cup to the middle of the season.
Lots of players going into games over the next few weeks will have one eye on the tournament too because they won’t want to miss it. You’d be devastated to miss out on it now.
NEW TO PADDY POWER NEWS?
Ben Chilwell looks like he’ll be missing for England. He’s such a natural player on the left and gives a team great balance when he plays. I really feel sorry for him.
We do have a lot of depth at the full-back positions though. Obviously, Luke Shaw’s been in and out of the team at Man United but he’s never let England down. He was fantastic in the Euros so I think he’ll come in and do well.
Read More
- Crouchy’s Shouts: Spurs and Liverpool to share goals on Sunday
- Liverpool owners FSG reveal 5 quid war chest for Bellingham bid
- Exclusive: Tyson Fury to be fourth official for Spurs v Liverpool
- Breaking: Doctors hail watching Spurs as miracle insomnia cure
THE PADDY POWER GUIDE TO SAFER GAMBLING – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
