In a lot of ways, it would be easy to write off Tottenham Hotspur. Between their seemingly never-ending injury crisis and an impressive ability to drop points from winning positions, their 14th-place standing in the Premier League means they embody the underdog more than they usually would against Liverpool on Thursday. Yet, they find themselves in the unlikely position of carrying an advantage heading into the second leg of the EFL Cup semifinals (you can watch the action live on Paramount+) – and just 90 minutes away from their first cup final in four years.
Amidst the chaos of their season, Spurs handed Liverpool only their second loss of the season a month ago with a narrow 1-0 win in the first leg, giving them the surprise upper hand at Anfield. The one-goal margin is no safety net, though a spot in the semifinals alone presents the opportunity for Tottenham to find the silver lining in their otherwise drab season. As poor as their league position is, Spurs have done exceedingly well in their cup competitions – not only are they within touching distance of the EFL Cup final, but they finished in fourth place in the UEFA Europa League’s league phase and are through to the next round of the FA Cup.
Tottenham’s rough season has surprisingly transformed them into a team that can – and should – prioritize cup competitions, a decision that would not only make this season’s disappointing results feel like an afterthought. If Spurs prioritize silverware and actually get across the finish line, the trophy drought that has followed this team like a shadow could finally end, making Thursday’s game an almost make-or-break game for their season.
How to watch and odds
- Date:Â Thursday, Feb. 6Â |Â Time:Â 3 p.m. ET
- Location:Â Anfield — Liverpool, England
- Live stream:Â Paramount+
- Odds:Â Liverpool -425; Draw +600; Tottenham Hotspur +900
Can a trophy make Spurs’ season a success?
The EFL Cup is not exactly the most prestigious trophy Tottenham can win this season – that’s still the Europa League, which may be Europe’s secondary club competition but is still a difficult tournament in its own right. For a team like Spurs, whose trophy drought is well-documented, any trophy means something and this particular one would mean a lot, not only because it would end the 17-year wait for a title.
Tottenham are perfectly midtable at this point in the season, stuck in the banal part of the standings where qualification for European competition is probably out of the question and relegation is unlikely. The perfect way to liven up an underwhelming season is by winning a trophy, especially one that would book the champion a spot in the UEFA Conference League playoff round.
It could also provide some newfound confidence to the group, since the final on March 16 comes with two months of play still left on the calendar. Lifting the EFL Cup would likely provide a much-appreciated morale boost, which may only help Spurs’ Premier League standing so much but could be useful if they make deep runs in the Europa League and the FA Cup. In fact, winning the EFL Cup could be a dress rehearsal for bigger things to come, and that’s especially true as their injured players begin to work their way back to fitness.
For manager Ange Postecoglou specifically, a trip to Wembley Stadium next month and a winner’s medal comes with an added perk – he would be right about his statement in September that he “always wins things in his second year.”
Tottenham’s challenges against Liverpool
The perks of a trip to Wembley are obvious for Tottenham, but all of it comes with the obvious caveat – they still have another 90 minutes ahead of them against a tough Liverpool team at home, and a one-goal lead leaves no room for error. One might suggest, for the umpteenth time this season, Postecoglou take a pragmatic approach with a spot in a cup final on the line, but that forces the question: What exactly constitutes a pragmatic approach in these circumstances?
Defensive resilience is not a bad idea, but overemphasis on the back line may not pay off in the long run. Mohamed Salah’s form alone means the Reds are hard to bet against every day of the week, and true to form for Tottenham this season, they will once again be without some important players in the back line. First-choice center back Cristian Romero is still nursing a hamstring injury and Postecoglou has opted not to risk Romero’s partner, Micky van de Ven, as he makes his way back from his own hamstring issue. Radu Dragusin, meanwhile, tore his ACL last week so Tottenham will likely give new signing Kevin Danso his debut and will pair him alongside veteran Ben Davies.
In fact, a balance that ensures Spurs’ attack can create chances might be the best way forward – and actually suits Postecoglou well. It is actually a strategy the manager has successfully utilized a few times this season, despite accusations that he is tactically inflexible. Tottenham’s 4-0 routing of Manchester City in November is a perfect example, too. They ceded possession to City and took just nine shots but put seven on target and generated 2.51 expected goals, finding a way to mix in goalscoring opportunities even without overtly prioritizing their attack. That is essentially the lesson of Newcastle United’s 4-0 aggregate win over Arsenal in the other EFL Cup semi-final – the Magpies may have carried a 2-0 first-leg victory into Wednesday’s game, but they chose not to rest on their laurels and managed to score two more goals on one of Europe’s best offenses.
Spurs may or may not be favored to come out on top on Thursday but in the midst of a season of imperfections, they are surprisingly well-positioned to notch a major accomplishment. The task for Postecoglou and company, then, is not to squander it and add a new layer of sourness to an unpleasant season.
