Tottenham Hotspur’s poor signings and mixed start to the season echo Liverpool’s failure to back up their 2013/14 title challenge.
Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard looks dejected after Demba Ba scores the first goal for Chelsea
Little did Liverpool know it at the time, but Steven Gerrard’s fateful slip against Chelsea in 2014 signalled the implosion of Brendan Rodgers’ side.
The Reds’ title challenge collapsed, and after a disastrous transfer window, Rodgers lasted just another 18 months.
While Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino’s job is arguably the safest in the Premier League, there are a number of parallels between his side’s current form, and the Liverpool side of 2014/15.
Second season syndrome
For periods last season, Tottenham Hotspur were the best team in the Premier League. Their achievements went under the radar due to Leicester’s heroics, but at one stage it seemed they would topple the Foxes for the title.
A late season collapse, like Liverpool in 2014, meant they have had to lift themselves this campaign, and they have not quite had the same spark.
Tottenham’s Dele Alli looks dejected
While unbeaten, Tottenham have not won a Premier League game since October 2, and are outside the top four.
Liverpool had similar troubles, with key men from the previous season failing to step up. For Daniel Sturridge’s injury, read Harry Kane – who was out of form even before his injury.
For Raheem Sterling’s drop in form, see Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli. There is time for Tottenham’s players to turn it around, but they need to do better.
Transfer failures
Liverpool’s problems were in part due to selling Luis Suarez, but the real problem was the players they bought to replace him.
Mario Balotelli was an unmitigated disaster, while Lazar Markovic also failed to live up to to expectations. Dejan Lovren and Adam Lallana also had poor debut seasons, and have only come to life under Jurgen Klopp. Alberto Moreno, no better.
Liverpool’s Mario Balotelli
This summer Tottenham did not lose any key stars, but their four signings have provided a questionable return.
Like Emre Can at Liverpool, Victor Wanyama is the only Tottenham addition to immediately impress.
Vincent Janssen has been a big disappointment so far with no goals from open play, while Georges-Kevin N’Koudou risks being their own Markovic, having not started a single league game to date.
The deadline day signing of Moussa Sissoko, who has been played out on the wing, looks like Tottenham’s biggest folly, and their own Balotelli moment.
Tottenham’s Moussa Sissoko
Champions League woes
The consolation for Liverpool missing out on the title, was qualification for the Champions League for the first time in five years.
With aspirations to go deep into the knockout stages and compete against the very best, Liverpool’s campaign was a disaster as they were eliminated from a group they should have qualified from.
Real Madrid wiped the floor with them in both games, but the Reds faltered against the likes of Basel and Ludogorets, against who they won only one game out of four combined.
Tottenham have fared little better so far, suffering two defeats at their ‘home’ stadium Wembley.
They have one victory to their name from four matches, and after a long wait themselves to get back into Europe’s elite competition, they are at risk of early elimination.
Tottenham fans at Wembley
So what next?
After their Champions League elimination, Liverpool’s season spiralled, with Brendan Rodgers’ side signing off the season with an embarrassing 6-1 defeat to Stoke.
He lasted just three months into the following campaign before being sacked.
Mauricio Pochettino is under no such threat, with the team’s stingy defence likely to ensure there are no repeats of their 5-1 loss to Newcastle on the last day of last season.
Yet the parallels are there to see, and if they are knocked out of the Champions League, they will have to rally and make sure their Premier League form is not affected. If it is then their own chances of qualifying for the competition next season will come under threat.
The biggest problem has been their summer signings failing to step up, and the simple answer is to get them to start contributing, and somehow string a run of wins together.
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino
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