Tottenham Show Their True Colors
The Premier League season is just finishing its first month of matches, and the biggest surprise is that coming into the fourth matches, Tottenham were at the top of the table. They won their first three matches without allowing a goal. But it was hard to believe they are for real. This week’s match against Crystal Palace seemed to reveal the true state of Spurs.
Some History
For American sports fans who don’t follow European soccer, Tottenham (or “Spurs” as they are often called) are one of the big market clubs in the biggest professional league in the world. They have a huge following in north London where they play their home matches, and a proud tradition. But they have not been very successful in winning. Think: Chicago Cubs prior to 2016.
The goal for soccer clubs is to bring home trophies. There are three primary contests where trophies are available. The most prestigious is the UEFA Champions League, which is a kind of playoff among the top clubs in all the different leagues in Europe. The United States sporting leagues have nothing similar to this. It would be like a tournament with the Lakers playing Leñadores from the Mexican basketball league and Flamengo from the Brazilian league — if the Mexican and Brazilian leagues were good. But UEFA is huge for European soccer. Tottenham were runners up in 2019, but have never won the…
