Spurs Only have Themselves to Blame for Top 4 Failure

Arsenal have secured the final champions league place once again at the expense of their arch rivals Tottenham. Spurs who wasted huge lead over gunners last year did the same this season and finish below them again. Arsenal deserves credit but surely Spurs only have themselves to blame for top 4 failure.
When Andre Villas-Boas’s men defeated Arsenal at White Hart Lane 2-1 in March, they were favorites to qualify for CL football being seven points clear of Arsene Wenger’s side. Since that victory, Spurs went downhill and in-turn finished the season today like they did last year.
With such a talented squad and that big advantage, why things always go wrong in the later stages of the season for Tottenham is still a mystery. Here is the league form of both teams after that derby at White Hart Lane.

Arsenal were not largely impressive as they won games while playing bad but surely they do deserve credit for winning 8 out of last 10 games. Spurs inconsistency eventually did cost them big time in the end. While AVB’s win percentage has been the best in PL for Spurs still they were the ones who blew it.
Some Tottenham supporters believe that they lacked a quality striker up front and did not help their cause but wait a minute, Defoe and Adebayor are no doubt more proven premier league strikers than newcomers Giroud and Podolski so that excuse is not valid by any means.
Then they have the best player in the league in Gareth Bale along with a decent midfield lineup but Spurs heavily rely on the Welsh star. Without him, they turn into a completely different side.
Arsenal may have conceded fewer goals than Tottenham overall but they only improved that stat in the last few months. We have witnessed the worst possible defending from Arsenal Wenger’s side in years during the first half of the season. Captain Vermaelen lost his starting place while his compatriot Vertonghen has been a hit for Spurs all season.
It will be much harder for Spurs to finish above Arsenal next season as gunners are ready to reinforce their squad heavily to compete for the premier league title next season. Well, that is what Wenger says and if they change that habit of not spending much in the transfer season. On the other hand, for worst, top 4 failure means that Tottenham may lose their biggest asset Bale much to the despair of the supporters.
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