Spurs Chase Chelsea as Others Lose Touch

Games against teams like Middlesborough are one's teams with title aspirations need to learn to navigate. Earlier in the day Liverpool yet again came short of this aspiration as Hull City became yet another lower-table team to beat them. Middlesboro are another team with coaches that have been hired from Spain. The new Hull City manager showed his Spanish pedigree by equipping Hull with a steelier defense, and that is what manager Aitor Karanka has done for Middlesboro. His problem is the same one Hull overcame today, which is scoring.

Spurs opened the game against Middlesboro with their trademark Pochettino slick passing though Pochettino has not instilled into his forward line the joy of finishing sparkling moves. Harry Kane at times this season looked like he might be infected with the football disease of poor finishing execution. Last year Spurs fell short when the pressure was really on to chase down Leicester's front runner lead. Spurs coming into this game are in the same position they were last year, in 2nd place trying to chase down a big points lead from the front-runner who also play in all-blue.

The Day Chelsea got under Spurs Skins and Tottenham Lost the Title :

Anything beyond a 9pt lead for leaders Chelsea would be insurmountable, even if Newcastle United blew a 13 point lead. No team however has lost the Premier League title from the points tally/position Chelsea find themselves in. A Middlesboro equalizer would therefore be absolutely devastating on a day when Chelsea had already beaten Arsenal 3-1. It is not out of the bounds of possibility to catch Chelsea, but it does require Chelsea to lose form as the season begins to close.