So then, another season of the Premier League is done and dusted and it’s time for the 20 teams to start reviewing their campaigns and putting plans in place for the 2019/2020 term.
Little has changed at the top of the league with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City marching to back-to-back English top-flight titles after the title race went right down to the wire.
However, the battle for the top four was just as absorbing with Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United tussling fiercely in the final few matchdays to clinch those elusive final two UEFA Champions League spots. Spurs eventually prevailing by finishing fourth, a point ahead of bitter rivals the Gunners.
But it wasn’t just in the league where Mauricio Pochettino’s men were successful in 2018/2019. They may have bowed out of the Emirates FA Cup at the fourth-round stage, but they reached the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup and have made it to the UEFA Champions League final, where they will face Liverpool at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium at the end of May, for the first time.
In light of all this, today we review the season so far of the North Londoners, from what needs to be done in the summer to improve, to Goal of the Season and whether their campaign can truly be regarded as a success or a failure…
What needs to be done this summer to improve?
As good as Pochettino’s men’s term may have been, there is still certainly room to improve in the summer, especially in terms of the squad. And more specifically, the central midfield area.
Ever since Mousa Sissoko left for the Chinese Super League in January, the North Londoners’ haven’t been the same in the centre of the park. And if they want to improve in the summer, they must find a proper replacement for the Belgian international.
Worst result – Wolves (H) – 1-3
Tottenham’s worst result of the season undoubtedly came in the form of a sour late Christmas present, a 3-1 late-December home defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Not only was it Spurs’ joint-worst league loss of 2018/2019 in terms of margin, it also came at a pivotal time. A time where the team was very much in the title race, however, late goals from Willy Boly, Raul Jimenez and Helder Costa at Wembley quickly changed that fact.
Flop of the Season – Dele Alli
After a superb first three seasons in Spurs colours, England attacking midfielder Dele Alli has bizarrely largely gone missing this term and therefore, is the clear Lilywhites Flop of the Season.
Having registered just five Premier League goals and three assists amongst a whole host of other underwhelming statistics in the other competitions, many are now saying that Alli should be dropped for the Champions League final. A year ago, supporters wouldn’t have dreamed of axing the 23-year-old for the biggest match in the club’s history.
Who should be sold?
Tottenham, without doubt, could do with ousting a few players in the summer transfer window with at least three of their stars on the should-be-sold list.
The first is goalkeeper, club captain and ever-inconsistent Hugo Lloris. He is joined by right-back Kieran Trippier who shouldn’t get away with a campaign as poor as that at a top side. And the third is Dutch striker Vincent Janssen – simply not good enough for Spurs and the Premier League.
Unsung Hero – Lucas Moura
Every term, your club has an unsung hero and in the case of the Lilywhites and the 2018/2019 season, that player has been Brazilian attacker Lucas Moura.
The 26-year-old has not received anything like the credit of names such as Harry Kane, Heung-min Son and Christian Eriksen, though has been just as important – popping up with 15 goals in all competitions, including the last-gasp winner at Ajax in the Champions League semi-final second leg.
Best signing – N/A
To have a best signing of the season, you have to had made some signings in the first place and that’s something Spurs failed to do in both transfer windows over the course of the season.
Chairman Daniel Levy has often been criticised for not dipping into his pockets enough in the market and 2018/2019 is surely the biggest example of him being guilty of that. With a couple of new recruits, Tottenham may have had the edge to challenge Man City and Liverpool for the title more fiercely.
Is the manager safe? – Yes
Following a groundbreaking season, the highlight of which has been reaching the last two of Europe’s premier club competition and having a shot at becoming the best side in the continent, you would have to feel that Pochettino is safe – regardless of what the result turns out to be in Madrid.
However, that doesn’t mean that the Argentine will still be at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for 2019/2020. He could well choose to leave at the start of the summer and would not be short of suitors elsewhere.
Goal of the Season
Whether it be pieces of individual brilliance or incredible team moves, there have been plenty of contenders for Hotspur Goal of the Season.
But none of them quite of the standard of Son’s stunning solo effort in the Premier League victory over Chelsea. Collecting the ball from Alli on the break, the South Korean danced past Jorginho and David Luiz before slotting home in a crowd of opposing players to put the cherry on the cake of a fantastic London derby triumph.
Who should be signed in the summer?
As aforementioned, recruitment is a must at White Hart Lane in May, June, July and August and among a wealth of stars linked with a move or discussed, three of them are must-haves.
Firstly, Lloris is going to need a replacement and what better new number one than the man regarded to be the best in the world, David de Gea? So too Trippier and Janssen and they should be upgraded by the capture of Crystal Palace hotshot Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Fulham hitman Aleksandar Mitrovic.
Best result – Borussia Dortmund (H) – 3-0
Tottenham displayed their intent and quality to the whole of Europe midway through the season by thrashing German giants Borussia Dortmund 3-0.
This result of the season for the North Londoners arrived in the first leg of the Champions League round-of-16 and was sealed by Son, Jan Vertonghen and Fernando Llorente strikes. It was also significant in virtually securing the club’s place in the quarter-finals where they would sleigh Man City.