UEFA Preview: Can Tottenham Hotspur turn things around at home against Alkmaar?
Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in the EPL BIG6 have been disappointing in the league this season. 28 rounds of matches later, the two teams have accumulated 34 points, with a 13-point gap between them and fifth-ranked Manchester City and sixth-ranked Newcastle, which makes it impossible for them to qualify for the European Cup, and they are only 17 points ahead of the relegation zone, which is barely enough to avoid the crisis of being relegated.
Despite investing a lot of money in the summer transfer window, the two clubs’ performance has not improved significantly. Manchester United’s problems stemmed more from internal chaos, and even a change in manager failed to stop the decline. Tottenham, on the other hand, have chosen to continue to trust their manager, Postecoglou (Auspol), with the top brass publicly showing their support despite the team’s poor results. However, the head coaches clearly need to take some responsibility for the current situation.
Of course, both teams have been plagued by extensive injuries for long periods of time, which has had a notable impact on the record.
Spurs’ Chance: Aiming for the UEFA Cup Championship
Although Tottenham Hotspur’s performance in the Premier League has not been satisfactory, the club’s goal has not changed – to win the UEFA Cup. This will not only allow the team to return to next season’s Champions League, but will also give them the chance to end their 17-year history without a title!
Kane has left to join Bayern Munich, while Son remains in the squad. Neither of them has been able to bring a trophy to Tottenham so far. In fact, the last time Spurs won a title was back in 2007-08 when they won the League Cup.
Even during Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure, Tottenham have made it to the UEFA Champions League final and have been runners-up in the Premier League on several occasions, but have never been crowned champions. Earlier in their history, Spurs won the UEFA Cup twice, in 1972 and 1984, which has fans looking forward to this tournament.
Match Preview: Tottenham Hotspur vs Alkmaar
Nature of the Match
UEFA Cup 1/8 Final Second Leg
Time of the match
March 14th, 3:00
Although Alkmaar is a veteran team in the Dutch League, its strength is a bit inferior compared to the three giants of Ajax, Eindhoven and Feyenoord. Last season, Alkmaar qualified for the UEFA Cup with a fourth-place finish in the Dutch League, with points even 9 points higher than Ajax.
Comparison of recent form
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur’s last 10 matches have only 4 wins, 1 draw and 5 losses, with a lot of ups and downs in their form. Although they once won back-to-back matches in the 26th round of EPL when they thrashed Ipswich 4:1 on the road, they drew 1 and lost 1 in the following two rounds and fell into a slump again. Especially in the first round of the UEFA Cup 1/8 final, Tottenham Hotspur lost 0:1 away to Alkmaar, the situation is not optimistic.
Alkmaar
Alkmaar has 6 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses in their last 10 matches, a relatively stable performance. However, they lost 1:3 to Heerenveen on the road in the last round of Dutch League 1, ending their previous 3 consecutive wins. Currently, Alkmaar is ranked sixth in the Dutch League table, three points behind fourth-place Twente with one less round of matches, and still has hope to compete for European qualification.
Record of head-to-head matches
Each team won their last two meetings at home:
- Spurs beat Alkmaar 1:0 at home in the group stage of the UEFA Cup this season;
- In the first leg of the UEFA Cup 1/8 final, Tottenham were defeated 0:1 on the road.
The Tottenham Hotspur Lineup Problems
Tottenham are currently suffering from a serious injury situation, with a number of players, including Richarlison, unavailable. In addition, unregistered players such as Werner and the suspended Bentancur have stretched the squad, totaling as many as nine possible absentees for the match.
Outlook and Prediction
Despite Tottenham’s recent poor form and squad problems, they still have the advantage of playing at home. For Tottenham, this match is not only a crucial battle for promotion, but also an important opportunity to revitalize their morale. Fans expect the team to overcome the difficulties and play well at home to take a solid step forward in their quest for the UEFA Cup title.
Tottenham is a much more competitive team, both historically and on paper. If they can adjust their mentality and make full use of the home field advantage, they can turn the situation around and continue to chase their first title in 17 years.
