Tottenham fans will worry about a third false dawn, but can Wolves win be different?
Tottenham Hotspur claimed their first Premier League victory of the calendar year on Saturday, ending a run that had stretched into the realms of desperation.
And while there was some defensive stability and definite signs of strength, Spurs fans have believed that they’ve turned the corner one too many times this season already…
So, was this win a genuine platform to build on, or just another false dawn?
Wins against Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund created Tottenham delusions before
By definition, a false dawn is something that seems to show that a successful period is beginning or that a situation is improving, when it is not.
Tottenham is a club doused in wasted potential and it’s-the-hope-that-kills-you moments.
But Man City away in August, and Dortmund at home in January, really stand out as times where we thought things might just be changing.
In just his third game in charge, Thomas Frank delivered a statement of steel at the Etihad. A 0-2 victory secured back-to-back league wins by toppling Manchester City. And after a summer of swirling emotions, Spurs fans were desperate for some solidity.
So after goals from Brennan Johnson and João Palhinha, the question was simple: Can Tottenham hold out? From there, it became a display of discipline and determination.
Tottenham claimed successive clean sheets and underlined a growing sense that Frank’s imprint (or the one that was promised) was beginning to take hold.
That form and ferociousness quickly depleted, as Spurs sank into a shell of what was promised in sunny Manchester.
Even a European win couldn’t kickstart Spurs
It wasn’t until a cold Champions League night in January that the feelings of hope came fleeting back. An under-fire Frank found rare respite beneath the lights in N17.
A blistering first-half surge carried Tottenham Hotspur past a 10-man Borussia Dortmund and momentarily silenced the unrest.
A change in system and Xavi Simons’ first real glimpses of magic restored the intensity and rediscovered the team’s purpose. Early strikes from Cristian Romero and Dominic Solanke punished a rattled Dortmund side.
The Lilywhites’ authority never truly wavered as they forced a foot in the door to Champions League progression. This gave a flicker of belief for the lilywhite faithful and offered relief to a manager under siege.
A month later, Frank lost his job.
Was the Wolves victory any different for Tottenham?
In short, yes. Well, I hope so.
While the on-pitch performance certainly wasn’t impressive, this felt like the first time the team actually just did their job.
Despite Wolverhampton Wanderers already going down, they have still taken points off the league’s biggest sides at Molineux this season. This is also a stadium that Tottenham hadn’t won at since 2021.
Paired with a Wolves team with nothing to lose, this game felt like a classic banana skin – only this time the slip would see Spurs land in a whole new league.
Especially with West Ham picking up a late win at Everton, anything less than a win would’ve all but guaranteed relegation.
This wasn’t a game to tactically outwit Wolves or implement any intricacies in possession; it was a game to win. Anyway, anyhow.
Yes, there are a lot of similarities with the two games above.
Like the surprisingly solid defence papering cracks in a team that is struggling to create chances, the perfectly timed Palhihna goal or the much-needed boost in morale for fans.
But this win, both the three points earned and the psychological strength to not lose them, is definitely a platform to build something from.
While City away and Dortmund at home did present some genuine feelings of a step in the direction.
The unification within the team, coach and fans feels different this time.
This victory presents a real opportunity for momentum going into what will be a momentous month of May.
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