Tottenham's bubble of optimism has been burst by the real members of the Big Four

By Steve Stammers

Published 06:00 04/11/09

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Have you noticed how that air of euphoria around Tottenham High Road has lifted in the last month to be replaced by a gloomy mist of reality ?

The season started with such optimism with the 2-1 win against Liverpool. Champions League football at The Lane next season, no problem.

What no-one realised was that a Liverpool who started the season as one of the famed Top Four were about to go into meltdown. Now their very existence in the elite European competition is in doubt. The Carling Cup will not be coming to Anfield and the Premier League pennant will be flying elsewhere.

So, perhaps, no great kudos in becoming the first of five teams to beat Liverpool in the league this season. A more accurate barometer has come against Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal.

And guess what ? The sequence reads 1-3, 0-3, 0-3. Those matches were the real test and Tottenham, for all the hype, showed they are short.

True, they did not have the rub of the green at Chelsea or Arsenal. If Robbie Keane had been given that penalty at Stamford Bridge.... if Tottenham had not switched off immediately after they feel behind at The Emirates.

But the simple fact is that Tottenham were found wanting against the teams that will dominate the league this season.

The jury is still out on Heurelho Gomes ... brilliant in goal one minute, found badly wanting the next. Not the best qualities for the last line of defence. Yes, Tottenham have had injuries but aren't they part and parcel of the game? And wasn't Keane saying a week ago how the club now have a squad of equal strength to Arsenal? That has now fallen into the category of interviews you wish you had never have given.

Tottenham have a decent squad with players of immense talent. But they are not yet in the realms of top four candidacy. Yes, they can win a cup. Yes, on their day, they can be a match for anyone. But they need ALL their best players fit to match the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United.

They have too many what the late Brian Clough would label "butterfly players" - and David Bentley and the immensely-disappointing Roman Pavlyuchenko spring to mind. Players who look the part but come the crunch cannot deliver.

To trouble Arsenal, they needed Jermain Defoe at his most lethal, Luka Modric at his most elusive and Aaron Lennon at his quickest. They had none and it showed the flaws.

Harry Redknapp has done a remarkable job, bringing the bubble, verve and optimism back to a club that was descending fast. But Top Four ? Not yet - as the results against the best prove.

Robbie Keane: Tottenham are ready overtake Arsenal  

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