For most of the season we’ve talked about a top six.
And whilst it’s true that there is indeed a cartel of six clubs who are head and shoulders above the rest of the league these days, talk of six might be a little bit far after this weekend. Indeed, it may be a little far already.
The biggest game of the weekend is fourth v fifth, Chelsea v Spurs. And even if there may only be one place between the two, there are already five points separating them.
That means a victory for Tottenham over Chelsea would appear to put the top four places beyond much doubt barring slip ups from Liverpool and Spurs in the coming weeks.
One of the interesting side shows about the dynamic of the ‘top six’ this season is the double standards – or at least inconsistencies – in media perception between the teams. This weekend it may be borne out by Chelsea and Spurs after their battle at Stamford Bridge.
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Both sides were dumped out of Europe before the international break in tough circumstances. Chelsea were far from outplayed at the Camp Nou but were put to the sword by a rampant Lionel Messi who proved why he’s The Greatest. Spurs, on the other hand, were undone by a few moments of class from a wiley old European team, with wizened, seasoned campaigners who just know how to progress in the Champions League.
When the two meet on Sunday afternoon, a victory for Spurs would mean Chelsea’s season comes down to no more than the FA Cup.
That would be a disaster for the Blues, and it would be perceived as such – entirely fairly. From champions one year to Europa League contenders the next is certainly not as bad a drop-off as last time. It’s clearly not good enough, though. It shows the strength of the top six and how at least one or two will be disappointed each season, as there are only four Champions League spots (five if Arsenal win the Europa League). But it will be seen as a huge failing both by Antonio Conte and the club, who didn’t appear back him in the transfer market.
There won’t be too much outcry, but that’s for one reason only: It seems as though Conte will be leaving at the end of the season anyway.
For Spurs, however, things are different. The top four is clearly the aim. To move into the new stadium next season on a solid financial footing and Champions League football for a third season in a row would cement the club’s place among Europe’s elite. There’s no doubt about that. And yet there will still be calls for them to win a trophy – the FA Cup.
Sure, success breeds success. Whilst an FA Cup victory didn’t help Arsene Wenger or Louis van Gaal much in recent seasons, it did arguably launch Manchester City to a title the next season, and the club has established itself greatly since then. For Spurs, it too could be a springboard.
But it’s certainly not fulfillment.
Winning an FA Cup can’t be seen as the end of the journey. The journey ends with Spurs named amongst the top clubs in world football, not as a good side who confirmed their greatness by winning the 2018 FA Cup.
But that’s how it’s seen. For Chelsea, victory will put them back in the hunt for the Champions League again, but the nature of Conte’s position means there’s an apathy around how we see the team – their success or failure doesn’t seem to matter because we’ve convinced ourselves that the cycle starts all over again next season and the now doesn’t matter.
For Spurs, we’ve also managed to convince ourselves that winning a trophy is perhaps the most important thing they can do at present.
And so the biggest game of the weekend will be met with a strange apathy one way or another.
