“I always win things in my second year.”
In the post-match interview following Tottenham’s early season loss to Arsenal, Ange Postecoglou made it clear to media pundits and fans that he’s determined to win a trophy come the end of the campaign, whether it’s a Carabao Cup, FA Cup, or even the Europa League. But outside of winning a much-needed trophy — which Spurs last did back in 2008 when they won the 2008 EFL Cup under Juande Ramos — the club also urgently needs to qualify for the Champions League again. Having not played in the iconic European competition since the 2022/23 season, it’s fair to say that Spurs are desperate to be back playing in it. But to do this, the club will have to secure a top 4 position, which could prove to be difficult after a mixed bag so far this season.
Tottenham Top 4 Odds 2024/25: A Look At What the Sportsbooks Are Saying
An analysis by sports betting authority bettingtools.com shows that Tottenham have 9/4 odds with most major sportsbooks to finish inside the top four. The implied probability of this is around 30%, meaning the general belief is that Spurs are unlikely to grab a Champions League spot once the season is wrapped up. However, Spurs only missed out on a Champions League spot by two points last season, showing that “Big Ange” and his players certainly have the foundation to do it if they can successfully avoid any late-season collapses.
Tottenham’s inconsistent start to the season is ultimately why the club’s top 4 odds have skyrocketed. Disappointing losses against Brighton and (most recently) Crystal Palace have not gone down well, with the overriding feeling being that Spurs are once again going to struggle to consistently pick up results as the season progresses. There’s also the added problem of the top 3 positions in the Premier League seemingly already secured by Manchester City, Liverpool, and Arsenal, who are currently in the midst of an intense title race. This means that the only hope that Spurs have of Champions League qualification is to grab the fourth place league position — but they’ll have to finish ahead of the likes of Chelsea and Aston Villa, who are both in excellent form so far.
One thing for sure is that Tottenham won’t want to throw away Champions League qualification for Thursday night Europa League football again. The good news, though, is that Ange Postecoglou does historically have successful second seasons with the clubs that he manages, so there’s a strong chance that Tottenham will hit a run of form during the Christmas period. On top of this, if Dominic Solanke can fill the boots left behind by Harry Kane and Son Heung-min finally recaptures his red-hot form from previous seasons, then there’s no reason why Spurs won’t be in and around the top 4 come the end of the season. There’s also the small issue of Timo Werner, who Spurs will benefit greatly from if he can discover some type of goal scoring form from the left wing.
Top 4 or a Trophy: Which Should Tottenham Go For?
The big topic of discussion amongst Tottenham fans is whether they should prioritise a top 4 finish or a trophy. This is something that fans debate at the start of every single season, with the majority of them still believing that the priority should be to win a trophy. In the eyes of many, ending the club’s near two decade trophy drought would transform the club for the better, which is why there’s huge pressure on Big Ange to deliver silverware, something that Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte, fan-favourite Mauricio Pochettino, and countless other managers have failed to do before him.
For the 2024/25 season, the best plan for Spurs is to push for a trophy above everything else. The fans want it more than anything and it would ultimately end the club’s trophy curse. However, “Big Ange” should also focus on squad rotation and picking up league results, as securing top 4 is still a realistic possibility, even if Spurs go deep in some of the cup competitions. And in terms of the cups, Spurs are still in the FA Cup, Europa League, and Carabao Cup, having just beaten Manchester City in an impressive 2-1 win to secure a place in the Carabao quarter-finals. Whether Spurs can make it all the way to the final remains to be seen, but a win like this over Manchester City will certainly give Ange some much-needed momentum over the coming months.
Summary
Ange Postecoglou’s first season with Spurs saw them miss out on a Champions League spot by just two points following a collapse in form at the end of the season. So, could it be second time lucky for Ange and his men? It’s very possible, especially considering Ange’s previous track record of being successful with clubs after initially settling in. But for this to happen, Spurs will have to avoid a similar collapse to last season’s while also hoping that Aston Villa, Chelsea, and other surrounding teams experience a dip in form during the run up to May.
