One other season, one other trophy-less marketing campaign – welcome to life as a Tottenham fan, the place the spotlight in latest occasions has been a scramble for a top-four end within the Premier League.
In every week that noticed Spurs knocked out of the FA Cup by Championship aspect Sheffield United then lose floor within the league with defeat at Wolves, their Champions League exit to AC Milan had a depressingly acquainted really feel to it.
So is Antonio Conte prone to develop into the seventh everlasting Spurs boss to try to fail to finish their 15-year trophy drought?
A limp 0-0 second-leg draw, in opposition to a far-from-vintage Milan aspect, noticed Spurs followers angrily voice their disapproval over the aspect’s perceived damaging type of play beneath the Italian.
And together with his contract up in June, Wednesday’s defeat felt prefer it might be the start of the top for the Italian, who has solely reached the Champions League quarter-finals as soon as in six makes an attempt as a supervisor.
“I’ve a contract with Tottenham,” Conte mentioned. “I respect the contract. On the finish of the season, assessments can be made with the membership in probably the most serene manner.
“Let’s examine how the season ends. Perhaps they will ship me away even earlier. Tottenham know very properly what my ideas are and at finish of season we’ll meet and decide.
“I am unable to say something damaging in regards to the dedication of the gamers. They gave every thing from the begin to the top. If I’ve to see a constructive state of affairs, it’s that we had a step ahead – however it isn’t sufficient and if we need to be aggressive, now we have to battle.
“I do not prefer to lose however it could occur, particularly as a result of final season do not forget we performed [Europa] Convention League and two years in the past Europa League.
“I’m actually sorry for the followers, however we can not hope for a miracle in the future {that a} trophy goes into our coaching floor. We now have to construct and have endurance.”
Have Spurs progressed or have requirements slipped?
Tottenham have now failed to attain in every of their final three video games and their soccer has attracted criticism this time period for being too passive and cautious.
Conte’s name for endurance is unlikely to quell rising discord among the many membership’s supporters.
Talking on BBC Radio 5 Stay, former Blackburn striker Chris Sutton credited the previous Chelsea and Inter Milan boss with returning to work shortly after his latest surgical procedure however mentioned he isn’t getting the most effective from his key gamers.
“It’s not only one single factor, however they’re a group of beneath performers,” mentioned Sutton.
“We all know Spurs are able to blowing any group away however it’s too few and much between. Conte is a stickler – he would not care what individuals assume. The system has introduced him a justifiable share of success and he’s sticking with it.
“It has been too tepid from Tottenham. As all the time it’s a ball into Harry Kane and hope he produces a surprise cross. It is tentative Tottenham, it is tame Tottenham. They’ve been bang common and inconsistent all season.
“Conte has been by way of so much and will have taken longer off. I like him for fronting up however the gamers on the pitch let him down. A variety of Spurs gamers this season have merely not turned up. Son Heung-min – what has occurred to him this season?”
Take the handbrake off
Talking on BT Sport former Tottenham striker Peter Crouch echoed Sutton’s feedback, saying it was time to let the membership’s attacking gamers categorical themselves extra in line with the membership’s traditions.
“It is not the primary time now we have mentioned it, however Tottenham’s greatest gamers are going ahead however they are not allowed to precise themselves,” Crouch mentioned.
“What’s the level of getting prime 4 if you are going to carry out like this within the Champions League?
“The followers wish to see an FA Cup or a Carabao Cup win – a trophy. It has been so lengthy. So to play a weakened group within the FA Cup and the rationale you relaxation the gamers is for the Premier League sport, and also you then lose that, then you definately’re out of the Champions League.
“You are going for prime 4, however what for? They have not carried out in any sport I’ve seen right here within the Champions League.”
What the followers assume?
Jon: It’s important to take a look at this season as a failure now, even when we make the highest 4. When you think about the place us and Arsenal had been on the finish of final season and examine the influence of the signings. Theirs have been good – they’re prime of the league. All of ours have flopped – we’re stagnant.
Chris: If ever you need to perceive the present mindset of a fan base, it is that response to when six minutes had been held up on the board. At Anfield, Emirates, Stamford Bridge, you’d have heard a deafeningly encouraging roar. Spurs followers simply had an accepting silence.
Callum: That is sufficient of that for me. Conte-ball is probably the most atrocious model of soccer I’ve seen in 33 years. We nonetheless lose once we should not, we simply play uglier soccer. Conte would not need to be there, and I do not need to watch his group. Right here it comes… #Conteout.
Darren: Spineless. Heartless. Gutless. Abject give up. Season over. Conte out.
Pete: Laborious to see the place on earth this Spurs group assume a purpose is coming from. No apparent sport plan. No apparent type. Simply….turgid. It is like a kind of avant-garde exhibits a pal invitations you to, and then you definately discover out it is 4 hours within the lifetime of a paper clip. Soul destroying.
Charlie: Let’s be sincere, a win on this competitors was by no means on the playing cards. The loss within the FA Cup must be the set off for change. Daniel Levy must be making inquiries on a brand new supervisor now, and have him lined up for the summer season.
