Are Tottenham good enough to qualify for the Champions League?

Earlier this season I predicted that Tottenham would win the race for fourth place in the Premier League and clinch a Champions League spot.

Doubts

A reader of my editorials made a valid point that Tottenham’s defence wasn’t good enough for them to finish in the top four. And this reader was a Spurs fan.

My counter argument to that was that the rest of the Tottenham squad was good enough to make up for their leaky backline.

Injury-prone.

However even I am now starting to think that reader was right. Tottenham centre backs Jonathan Woodgate and Ledley King are undoubtedly two of the best English defenders. They are far more talented than some of the players competing to be in the England squad.

If they were able to stay fit then they would be pushing John Terry and Rio Ferdinand for starting places in the centre of the England defence. However the pair seem to have season tickets to the treatment room. Their immense talent has unfortunately been wasted, through no fault of their own of course.

They must be the unluckiest partnership in the league. Tottenham club captain King has actually made 11 appearances for Spurs in the league this season but you can’t depend on him due to his dodgy knee. Woodgate has only made three appearances for Tottenham this season. That’s not a good injury record for Tottenham’s first choice defensive partnership.

Inconsistent

Tottenham have taken just one point from the last two games. Some would say that Harry Redknapp’s side were unlucky to draw against Hull at White Hart Lane last weekend, due to a world class goalkeeping performance from the Tigers keeper Boaz Myhill. However the game summed up Tottenham’s problem. They are currently not ruthless enough.

The likes of Stoke and Wolves have went to Tottenham and secured victories. Those are the sort of teams they need to be beating if they are aspiring to qualify for the Champions League. Then there is last night’s poor performance and defeat away to Liverpool.

Liverpool were without main men Fernando Torres and captain Steven Gerrard. They were also missing usual regulars Yossi Benayoun and Glen Johnson. This was Tottenham’s opportunity to stretch their lead over their rivals to seven points. Instead they put in a poor display and Liverpool are now just a point behind them in the Premier League table.

Tottenham are still fourth but they must get back to winning ways fast or they can forget about getting anywhere near the Champions League. They have shown in flashes the quality their squad possesses but its now important that they recapture their early season form.

Competitors

Tottenham can’t afford to let their form drop, as the likes of Manchester City, Aston Villa and Liverpool are just waiting to capitalise on any slip ups. Luckily for Spurs their competitors haven’t exactly been in the best of form in recent weeks but all look like their set to bounce back. Villa have had a few disappointing results in recent weeks but will be hoping to regain their form after their Carling Cup semi-final victory over Blackburn.

Manchester City were on a good run of form until they were outplayed by Everton at Goodison Park last Saturday. However Roberto Mancini’s start to his City managerial reign has been encouraging and they bounced straight back from the Everton defeat with a victory over rivals Manchester United in the semi-final of the Carling Cup on Tuesday.

Liverpool of course have been a club in crisis in recent months but they gained a victory over Spurs in their last match. Liverpool however will still be without Gerrard and Torres for a few weeks to come and they will struggle without them despite Wednesday’s victory over their rivals Tottenham.

Exciting

With their rivals looking up Tottenham could be in trouble. They will have to be at their best and are going to need some luck along the way. I’m not sure if my prediction of Tottenham making the Champions League will prove correct but whatever happens the race for fourth place is sure to prove exciting with lots of twists and turns along the way.