Southampton vs. Tottenham Hotspur: Spurs Must Improve to Stay in Top 4

Tottenham Hotspur defeated Southampton and moved into the Top 4 in the table, but the team will not be able maintain its rank if its form does not improve going forward.

Spurs were certainly the better side in the first 45 minutes and came away with two goals to show for it. Gareth Bale gave his current club the advantage over his former employers in the 15^th minute, and Clint Dempsey doubled the lead six minutes before halftime.

The Saints defense continued to be brutally awful during this stretch and it appeared the team’s atrocious back line would once again doom it to an embarrassing defeat.

But the two teams were in wildly different form when they returned from the locker rooms, and Southampton was the clear aggressors for the remainder of the match. 

While Spurs came out ahead in the only statistic that truly matters, the Saints had 52 percent of the possession while taking 15 shots to Tottenham’s 12. Jay Rodriguez ensured that this would be a nerve-racking affair with a goal in the 66^th minute, but Southampton was ultimately able to pull off an equalizer.

The three points earned from the match pushed Spurs past Everton and into the Top 4. But competition for the Champions League spots will be extremely tight this season. 

Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City appear to be locks to occupy the first three spots, and several other clubs will have to fight for that final place.

Everton has a reputation for finishing its Premier League campaigns extremely strong. If the Toffees can continue that trend after defying its propensity for poor starts, they will be a serious threat to break into the Top 4 for the first time in seven seasons.

Arsenal currently sits in sixth place and the Gunners have not placed lower that fourth during Arsene Wenger’s tenure. If 16 years of history is any indication of the future, it will take a monumental effort for Spurs to finish ahead of their North London neighbors.

They certainly will not be able to accomplish this feat while playing as they did in the second half against Southampton. Spurs have away matches against both the Gunners and City on their schedule in the next three weeks, and unless the team’s form improves, it will not be in the Top 4 following these fixtures.

For the remainder of the season, the Spurs must remain consistent as the fight for a place in next year’s Champions League tournament will be extremely contentious, and a single slip-up against an inferior opponent could keep the team out of the top four spots.