It’s the 80th minute. Hazard’s been subbed off for Batshuayi and Chelsea are playing two up front. I’m sitting there licking my lips thinking; maybe with Hazard off, West Brom can just hold on and maybe snatch a winner here. But no, that man Batshuayi, the apparent Summer flop signing taps the ball home and sends the away stands crazy. Another bold move from Italian gaffer Antonio Conte has paid off and Chelsea are now the champions of English football. You know what, fine. We weren’t ready. It’s another lesson these lads need to learn from to ensure that someday we make it to the very top.
So the pressure’s off tomorrow. That’s not a bad thing. It feels like a huge weight has been lifted off the stadium. Now we can just enjoy it. Now, if it’s 0-0 in the 80th minute, we won’t be biting our nails and checking our watches. We can just drink it all in. The last ever game at White Hart Lane at home to one of the biggest and most successful teams in England. We can just play our natural football, unhindered by desperation or dread. It’s a healthy mind-frame and how football should be played.
We haven’t lost a home game in the league all season and I don’t think that record will be threatened tomorrow. United are a hard team to beat, as evidenced by their 25 match unbeaten run in the Premier League that was finally broken by Arsenal last weekend. But if them lot can do it, surely we can. United have a huge distraction too. On Thursday they played a tentative semi final at home to Celta Vigo where they were victorious 2-1 on aggregate. They have their eyes on a bigger prize than 5th place now that Champions League qualification in the league is looking unlikely. Their only road to Europe’s elite is through winning the Europa League final in Stockholm against Dutch giants Ajax. It’s played a large part in their inability to win Premier League games and I think it’ll play it’s part tomorrow.
There are no fresh injury concerns at Spurs. Danny Rose is still on the mend, though looking close to achieving full fitness in the coming weeks. Harry Winks and Erik Lamela are still long-term absentees. Youngsters Cameron Carter-Vickers, Josh Onomah and Kyle Walker-Peters are all unavailable for selection having left the squad to play in the Under 20s World Cup in South Korea. It is expected that United will field a weakened team in preparation for the Europa League final later in the month, however Ibrahimovic, Fosu-Mensah, Rojo and Shaw will all miss out due to injury. Fellaini will not be involved either, as he serves a suspension.
In the big games against the big teams this season at the Lane, Spurs have largely delivered seeing off Chelsea, City and Arsenal all by a scoreline of 2-0. I say we’ll continue that trend tomorrow, winning by the same score. I can’t see United having any inclination to pick up a result, only to avoid embarrassment, which they will. Tottenham have massive amounts of motivation here, as we all want to say goodbye on a high as a fitting end to not just the season, but a proud 118 year era finally coming to an end.
2-0 Spurs. Kane with both. He wants his Golden Boot at the very least.
COYS.
But what do you think? Do you agree or disagree?
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