2016-17 – An astounding season, but no trophy

Any review of the 2016-17 season regarding Spurs must start by recognising and summarising the astounding team and individual achievements of a remarkable time. These include: -

1. Finishing runners-up for the first time in the Premier League and for the first time in the top flight since the 1962-63 season. Therefore, we have qualified to enter the Champions league at the Group stage for the second successive year.

2. Securing our highest ever points total in the Premier League – 86 points. This is a higher figure than Leicester’s 81 of last year, and higher than several Premier League winning seasons.

3. Scoring more goals, conceding less goals and finishing with a better goal difference than any other team.

4. Finishing a full league season unbeaten at home for the first time since 1964-65.

5. Winning 14 consecutive home games to equal the record we previously set between January and October 1987.

6. Matching our two previous best away league wins with a 6-1 win at Leicester.

7. Beating that 6-1 with a new best away win with the final day 7-1 at relegated Hull!

8. Scoring 4 or more goals in 13 games in all competitions, 10 of which were in the Premier League.

9. Having three players score 20 or more goals in a season (Kane 35, Dele Alli 22, and Son 21).

10. Beating champions Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United at home

11. Beating Stoke 4-0 at home and away, and in fact by that margin for a third successive game. We also scored 4 against Watford at home and away.

12. Individual achievements include Harry Kane winning the Golden Boot for a second successive year, and winning the PFA Fans’ Premier League player of the season vote. Dele Alli won the PFA Young Player of the year vote for the second successive year. Both Kane and Dele, along with Kyle Walker (please stay Kyle!) and Danny Rose were selected for the Premier League team of the year. For Kane, this was his third successive selection, and for Dele and Danny Rose the second successive selection.

It is a remarkable list of achievements in what has been the most remarkable season for Spurs in living memory for most Spurs fans.

However, it must be said that in each Cup competition we ultimately disappointed. We made a hash of The Champions League, and then fell at the first hurdle when we dropped to The Europa League against a moderate Belgian side (AA Gent), who were thrashed by an even more moderate Belgian side (Racing Genk) in the next round.

We went out of the League Cup at Anfield, where Eric Dier was the only starter in either team who had played in the preceding Premier league game, and whilst we went all the way to a seventh FA Cup semi-final since our last (1991) Final appearance, we lost to Chelsea. I was not the only observer to be mystified by Mauricio Pochettino’s selection of Son Heung-min as left wing back.

So, there is no trophy for Spurs for a ninth season since the 2008 League Cup, and still only two League Cups on our shelves in the Premier League era. Chelsea won the Premier League title, and they were hot favourites for most of the season, once Antonio Conte switched to a back three after losing 3-0 at Arsenal. Chelsea went on a run of 13 consecutive league wins, ended in style by Spurs on January 4th.

We became genuine title challengers for a second successive season, but realistically, if not statistically only until we lost 1-0 on our first visit to The London Stadium. Arsenal failed to finish in the top four for the first time in 21 years and will face Thursday night football next season. However, they did win a record 13th FA Cup (and the seventh under Wenger). Even West Ham won “their Cup Final”!

We said goodbye (in style) to White Hart Lane with that win against Manchester United (winners of two trophies) who will join us with Chelsea and Man City in the Champions’ League Group stage next season, whilst fourth-placed Liverpool will have to qualify through the play-off round. The old stadium is being rapidly ripped down, and as we know our magnificent new home is well under way.

Next season we will play at Wembley, which we must make a fortress in League and Champions League. Everyone agrees that a trophy on the club mantelpiece is a requirement as soon as possible.

Our achievements have come despite the enforced absence of key players for many games. Kane missed 15 of our 53 games (he missed 9 Premier League starts). Alderweireld missed 8 league games, and Danny Rose hasn’t played since January. Erik Lamela hasn’t played since October and only made 6 Premier League starts.

Victor Wanyama has been our signing of the season, and even in the end of season friendly in Hong Kong showed typical determination in midfield. Moussa Sissoko was signed for a reported £30 million from Newcastle, but has yet to win over most Spurs fans, although I personally feel there is a player in there. Sissoko has had marginally more minutes (911) in league games than another signing Vincent Janssen. Janssen famously had to wait till mid-April and added time against Bournemouth to score his first Premier League goal in open play.

Harry Winks became more and more popular as the season progressed, no less than when he scored his first senior goal against West Ham. This Harry is also “one of our own”. Between October and January, Winks played in more consecutive games than any other player at that time, although that figure has been well and truly trumped by Dele Alli, who appeared in each of our last 36 games!

Christian Eriksen won the official supporters’ club player of the season vote, but here on Spurs Odyssey, where every vote throughout the season counts, Danny Rose won the player of the season vote, although fellow defenders Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld, along with Wanyama made it a close call. An indication of our all-round quality this season is the fact that Victor Wanyama is the only player to win more than one player of the month award. He won in January and March. Vorm, Son, Alderweireld, Lloris, Rose, Vertonghen, Eriksen and Kane each won the vote once. Eriksen played more Premier League minutes than any other Spurs player this season, although Eric Dier played most minutes in all competitions.

Remember, there are Over 25 years of archives at Spurs Odyssey, where you can find reports on our games at all levels, including our under-21 and under-18 teams.

Don't forget to check out the players' current figures re. appearances, cards, goals scored and accumulated ratings to date below.

...if you want to read reports of the matches played during this season, then links are on the Spurs Odyssey Fixtures/Reports page here. By working your way back through the previous month's figures, you can review the performances over 17 years!