Spurs are one of the teams that you would describe as being one of the so-called Big Six in English football. They’re always expected to be pushing to finish in the European places in the Premier League and are often deemed good enough to push for a top-four finish. However, there was life before the division’s formation, and Spurs’ history in that period is somewhat interesting.
The first thing to get clear about is that since the formation of the Premier League and Spurs’ involvement in it, they’ve been a mainstay and have never suffered the fate of relegation. But, in the years previous, they have been relegated from the then top-flight in seasons 1976/77, 1934/35, 1927/28 and 1914/15. The last time Spurs were banished to the second tier of English football, they finished bottom of the pile, but they bounced back immediately the following season, and it’s been decent going ever since.
A criticism that is often directed towards Spurs is the lack of trophies they have won, especially in the Premier League era. Their last success came in the 2007/08 campaign when they were crowned League Cup winners, but since then, it’s always been a case of being close but no cigar. And you could also suggest that is how they have performed in the English top flight and in Europe too, especially in more recent times.
Since 2008/09, Spurs have finished in the top ten religiously, which you do kind of expect. But, in four of those seasons, the Lilywhites have finished in the top four and secured Champions League football, which is some going in terms of delivering that consistency and being able to perform at home and in Europe to a good level. They even went as far as making the Champions League final under Mauricio Pochettino.
Under the Argentinian, you could say Spurs have enjoyed their best and most successful era in the Premier League, and they recorded their best finish under his guidance in the 2016/17 season when they finished second in the league. Since his departure, the likes of Jose Mourinho and Nuno Espirito Santo have come and gone, and now it’s Antonio Conte in the dugout and attempting to get Spurs to be the force of old.
Conte admits that he needs time, which is a realistic request which is backed up by the online Premier League sports betting markets on them being in the top four at the end of the season, and that’s where they’re currently placed at the time of writing, but Spurs do flatter to deceive under the fiery Italian, and they have registered several losses in their last five league outings. However, with the winter transfer window not so far off, Conte and co will be able to reassess the situation and do further work to ensure they meet their targets this season and continue to move in the right direction.
