Spurs in race to best Arsenal
The race for the Premier League title has become increasingly difficult to predict over the last number of seasons. A fluctuating contest dictated by four dominant sides limited the interest levels of supporters, until we witnessed the anomalous Leicester City team that shocked the world in 2016. The achievement was a true reflection of how the game evolves as a new generation takes the reigns from legends like Scholes, Lampard and Gerrard to name a few. Of course the other team who found themselves in a numerical race with the Foxes was Tottenham Hotspur. In 2013, Spurs inherited the £77 million fee from the World Record transfer of Welshman Gareth Bale to Real Madrid, and invested it in the future of the team. It was the decision to sell which has started paying dividends for the success of the club, sacrificing an individual in order to build a squad worthy of challenging at the top levels of European football. Of course for a record breaking season, there was the disappointment of finishing third in a two horse race. The team rubbing salt in the wound of Spurs’ losing title bid was their North London rivals Arsenal who overtook them at the last hurdle to finish in the top two. For those of you, who don’t understand the heartbreak experienced by Tottenham fans in this situation; imagine finally getting the girl of your dreams and then on the day of the wedding she runs off with your neighbour.
At times in the past two seasons, the battle for a higher league position between these two teams has been more entertaining than that of the race for first place. As all football fans know, if you don’t manage to win it all then the only thing that matters is to finish above your rivals for bragging rights leading into the next campaign. In the last seven seasons, Spurs have finished within two places of their rivals; the only noticeable consistency that stands out from the numbers is that they were always below the Gunner’s, being forced to look up to them like a younger brother. Although they were the last team to suffer a loss this season (before league leaders Chelsea stripped them of the streak) they fell behind Arsenal after an accumulation of dropped points in the form of draws. Now however, in the recent weeks leading up to the busy festive period, they have closed that gap to just a point as they look to capitalize on Arsenal’s recurring inability to sustain good form going into the second half of the season. This trait has cost them the title on numerous occasions over the past three seasons, having lead the league at the turn of the year in 13/14 and again in 15/16 only to let their lead slip soon after.
What does 2017 hold in terms of fate for these two bitter rivals? I will certainly be watching with more interest than I have in previous years, having had a little gamble with my Arsenal mad friend at the start of the summer. Personally I think that Spurs will finally break the equilibrium and finish above them, but this is certainly one battle that I advise you to look out for if you’re a fan of analytics. Let me know who you fancy to finish in a higher position in the comments below.
