On November 12, Carlisle lost 2-0 to a Newport side who had kicked off bottom of League Two. It was a result with implications at White Hart Lane. It left Tottenham Hotspur the only unbeaten side in English league football.
On Tuesday, Spurs lost 2-1 to Monaco to crash out of the Uefa Champions League with one game remaining. It was their fourth defeat in seven matches in other competitions.
It leaves Spurs a paradox, invincible and yet all too beatable, a side with the spirit to rally from 2-1 down after 88 minutes to beat West Ham United to one who delivered an insipid display in an ignominious Champions League exit.
It raises questions if their longest unbeaten start to a league campaign since the double-winning season of 1960/61 is simply an anomaly or if there are two Tottenhams.
They seem a schizophrenic side, history-makers in one respect, on a wretched run of one win in nine games in another.
The chances are that they may suffer a first setback in 13 league games at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
Chelsea’s superlative form, encompassing a run of six straight league victories by an aggregate scoreline of 17-0, renders them the favourites.
Tottenham’s unbeaten run nonetheless represents a mixed blessing when they stand four points behind Antonio Conte’s team, who have lost twice but only drawn once. The most common scoreline in Spurs’ season is 1-1: five league games have finished with a goal apiece. Tottenham have shown the resolve to recover after going behind in four of them.
It was telling that Mauricio Pochettino reacted to their Champions League exit by saying: “We need to improve our mentality.” In the Premier League, Tottenham have displayed the attitude they have lacked in Europe.
Pochettino drew a telling distinction when analysing their European failings. “We did not show enough quality,” he added. “That doesn’t mean we don’t have quality.”
That quality has only been sporadically apparent in domestic football. Tottenham were outstanding when winning 4-0 away at Stoke City and beating Manchester City 2-0. Other games have been more of a struggle. Form has eluded some, fitness others.
Also read:
Thomas Woods: Chelsea 2 Tottenham 1, plus other predictions
Steve Luckings: Make-or-break game for faltering Tottenham
Richard Jolly: Conte has ripped up toppers Chelsea's script
The make-up of the midfield has especially been an issue.
Erik Lamela has not played for a month or scored a league goal since the opening day. Son Heung-min had a glorious run of six goals in five games but has not struck in nine since and spurned a glorious chance in Monaco. Christian Eriksen, often among the most productive attacking midfielders, has not found the net in either the Premier or the Champions League. Moussa Sissoko looks the infuriating Newcastle variant, not France’s best player in the Euro 2016 final.
At £30 million (Dh137.5m), more was expected while the £11m winger Georges-Kevin Nkoudou has only been granted 52 minutes of football in the two major competitions. Yet while striker Vincent Janssen’s wait for a goal in open play spans 19 games, neither may be deemed Spurs’ worst summer signing.
It has all exacerbated a reliance on Dele Alli and Harry Kane. When the striker returned from a 10-game spell on the sidelines, Spurs had only mustered two penalties in the last five of those matches.
They have relied on a defence that, mirroring Kane’s absence, has missed Toby Alderweireld more the longer he has been out. Hugo Lloris has been brilliant in goal, Jan Vertonghen impressive at centre-back but, with Danny Rose banned, the Belgian may be required at left-back on Saturday, leaving a fragile pairing of Eric Dier and Kevin Wimmer in the middle.
It all suggests the Premier League Tottenham may start to resemble their Champions League counterparts. Unless they illustrate their duality by halting the seemingly unstoppable Chelsea.
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