Doing What Comes Unnaturally

Manchester City versus Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday is not a title decider.

Having said that, should Spurs lose, their putative aspirational fire will be all but extinguished.

There’s nothing like starting an article with a few big words to get everyone on their toes.

Tottenham Hotspur’s title hopes (if they were ever truly made manifest) took a significant blow last Saturday.

Despite dominating possession and creating a plethora of chances, Spurs could only manage a draw at White Hart Lane against Wolves, thereby dropping 2 points, and failing to draw level with the two Manchester clubs at the summit of the Barclays Premier League.

It was a tired performance from Harry Redknapp’s men – not physically, I would venture to suggest, as much as mentally.

Every game has become a ‘must win’ scenario for the perennial underachievers in English football (a mini Cup Final, if you prefer) and that, week in week out, is exacting.

Spurs, unlike Manchester United for example, have not been in this position before (not in living memory anyway) and the pressure is clearly beginning to tell.

Interestingly, prior to the game, Redknapp had been talking up Spurs’ chances of claiming their first English title since 1961, adopting the ‘why not…we’ve got as good a chance as any’ approach.

After the game, it was back to the ‘…top 4 is what we targeted at the beginning of the season, and we’re right in the mix,’ attitude and stance.

Has Harry realised that this season, the title might just be too much of a stretch for a hugely talented squad that may lack the strength in depth of, say, Manchester City?

Redknapp tends not to shuffle his pack. This could be due to the fact that he doesn’t have a big enough pack to shuffle, or because he doesn’t have sufficient confidence in the peripheral parts of his deck?

Luka Modric, Gareth Bale, Rafael Van der Vaart, Scott Parker and Emmanuel Adebayor are Harry’s ‘go to’ boys, and when fit, will start.

Let’s be honest, even when not entirely fit, they will still start, and that may have been one of the problems against Wolves.

Scott Parker wasn’t quite ready to come back from injury, and Adebayor hasn’t been in great form of late. Redknapp, it seems, is not prepared to ring the changes, and it’s an attitude that may well cost the club the services of Jermain Defoe, to name but one.

The problem is that with each game taking on so much significance, Redknapp isn’t the bravest managerial soul alive, and while Roberto Mancini will keep everyone guessing in terms of his team selection for Sunday’s clash with Spurs, Harry’s starting 11 has probably already been inked in.

Mancini will know exactly what he will be up against, and can plan accordingly. Spurs will continue to play the way they know, and in a way that has worked tremendously for them this season.

But, there will be no surprises from Spurs at a point in the season when maybe, just maybe, things need to be freshened up a little.

Let’s be frank; had you offered Tottenham Hotspur this situation in August of last year (especially after the two heavy defeats that began their campaign so ignominiously) they would have been overjoyed.

Even to be talked about as title contenders heading in to the second half of the season is quite an achievement, but the push is about to come to the shove, and it’s a force that could prove difficult to muster.

Spurs have to make the call as to whether they are prepared to subscribe to the club’s motto ”to dare is to do”, or whether a Champions League spot come season’s end will be sufficient reward for their endeavours.

Sunday’s match at the Etihad Stadium will, I suggest, go a long way towards determining the philosophy that abides for the remainder of the campaign.

Quite simply, should Manchester City win, they will be 8 points clear of Spurs, and while no one will doubt that all the clubs at the top will drop points before the curtain comes down in May, Tottenham’s ability to pick up 3 wins, while Manchester City endure 3 defeats is highly questionable.

A win for Spurs though, and the gap will be a mere 2 points – eminently bridgeable.

Arsenal entertain Manchester United, also on Sunday, and in any other season, this would be the weekend highlight.

United will still fancy themselves for the title and few would bet against them – the club could write the ultimate handbook in closing out title bids. Arsenal, for their part, after a near disastrous start to the season are back in contention for a Champions League spot, but that may well be the full extent of their hopes.

Manchester City will be clear, if not overwhelming favourites for Sunday’s encounter on a ground where they have won 10 out of their 10 league matches, and conceded a paltry 4 goals.

Spurs will need something very special on Sunday. Otherwise their title hopes will lie in tatters, alongside their fans’ expectations, however unrealistic they may have been in the first place.

Catch Andrew Leci and his analysis of the beautiful game on ESPN’s presentation of the Barclay’s Premier League Highlights.