Sunday’s Premier League home match against Everton na Tottenham biggest game in recent history. E no just be about 11 players on the pitch. This na club and business with hundreds of employees wey dey worry about their jobs and their futures.
Only one scenario fit send Spurs go Championship on Sunday, and that na if Roberto De Zerbi side lose at home to Everton and West Ham beat Leeds at London Stadium. Should Tottenham avoid relegation, the home fans go dey celebrate but e go be relief rather than euphoria.
Whatever the result on Sunday, fans go dey angry because this don be disastrous campaign. One year ago, Spurs dey celebrate Europa League glory with more than 220,000 fans for the trophy parade. But ending the club 17-year trophy drought no enough for Ange Postecoglou to keep im job after the club fall to its lowest Premier League finish of 17th.
The message then na say the club need to compete on all fronts, not just one. Well, e don be only one front this season with the aim on the final day to keep the club for top flight. E clear say Tottenham desperately need a reset but e need a reset with the club dey for Premier League. E incomprehensible say Spurs should fall into Championship.
This na the ninth richest club for world, after all. So, how we don reach here this season? Well, this all start for summer. Postecoglou successor, Thomas Frank, no be the right fit for the club. Some players like am, but others no take to the Dane. Ultimately, e outstayed im welcome, and e suppose don sacked earlier. The West Ham loss for January na the time for am to go.
Then the injury malaise don deepen with this season crisis proving even more catastrophic than the last campaign. Losing key players like Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Mohammed Kudus to injury, combined with the summer loss of club legend and captain Heung-Min Son, always go make this season challenging. Losing regularly don also become expected outcome with this group of players.
Last season, the Europa League na the main focus, with Premier League taking back seat as Spurs become the first side for top-flight history to lose 22 games for 38-game season and no be relegated. Spurs turning e on for Europe at the expense of their domestic campaign don continue this season. The top-four finish for Champions League phase table under Frank no help these players e create false confidence because, truthfully, the opponents them dey beat na Europa League-level teams.
What the players don have no control over na decisions from the top. Frank suppose don sacked earlier, while the signings no don good enough. The lack of substantial business for January window alarming. To only bring Conor Gallagher as major winter signing amid crippling injury list and for position wey the club already well covered for na poor. No replace Brennan Johnson, wey dem sell for £35m to Crystal Palace, na big mistake.
So, the January transfer window go be one of major regrets should Tottenham fall into Championship. Another go be the misguided appointment of Igor Tudor. The problem with the Croatian na say e come and tell the players say them no good enough. No wonder e only last seven games. De Zerbi don make desired impact, and I no get doubt say if e don take charge sooner, then Spurs for be 12th or 13th.
Spurs safety for don secure already if no be say some controversial VAR calls lately wey no go their way. For fact, the north London club no don win penalty for Premier League this season. Nonetheless, officiating na only minor factor for their plight as them head into final day for 17th, needing point to guarantee their safety.
Spurs go dey look for hero on Sunday and e feel set up for Maddison. E don make huge impact off the bench for im only two appearances of the season, and, understandably, fans don dey ask the question: Can e start against Everton? What I dey led to believe na say e no fit give much more than wetin e don already give for the past two games after returning from serious knee injury.
If Tottenham nothing to play for, we for no even dey see Maddison play at all right now. But the situation Spurs dey, them desperately need im quality. E no just dey give a lot as player, but e also dey real leader and presence off the pitch. E speak well after Tuesday Chelsea defeat e just get am. E right to be “embarrassed” by Spurs struggles. I expect Maddison to start on the bench on Sunday for wetin go be very tense day.
E no go surprise me if both Tottenham and West Ham draw, but I expect the Hammers to take the lead at some point. And if Tottenham dey relegated after defeat, them only get themselves to blame. Wetin go make am even more painful na their north London rivals Arsenal lifting the Premier League trophy on Sunday. Only four years ago, Spurs beat Arsenal 3-0 to secure fourth under Antonio Conte, but now the two sides fit dey play for different divisions next season.
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