After the full-time whistle blew in the second leg of the Champions League Round of 16 tie between Tottenham and Juventus, Mauricio Pochettino will no doubt be asking himself just how his side found themselves knocked out of the competition.


"Mauricio Pochettino" luisab23 via Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

The answer to that question is probably something of a raw one, as you could argue that, for 165 of the 180 minutes in which the tie was keenly fought, Tottenham were definitely the team on top. But for 15 minutes of madness, it would have been they who progressed to the quarter-finals.

No progression means that you cannot find them on the William Hill website if you wanted to pick them as a winner for this edition of the tournament, while Juventus can be found at a tempting 10/1 in the outrights. Now, obviously, Mauricio Pochettino would have to keep his money in his wallet but, if the Argentine was a betting man, then he would have been tempted on putting his house on Spurs getting the better of Juventus.

Rival fans will no doubt point at the fact that this was an incredibly 'Spursy' thing to do; take the lead in a big game, look comfortable at home, only to then bottle it. This is a term that has entered football parlance over the past few years but it would be harsh to label the club with this tag this time around.

Whether defeat was harsh or not, the feeling that it is a missed opportunity for Tottenham is undeniable. What is also undeniable though is the fact that the club is at something of a crossroads, as you get the feeling that success has to be delivered sooner or later.

Just what is "success" though, as defined by Spurs? Is it just finishing above Arsenal wherever possible or have the goalposts shifted as the levels of expectations increase? It is almost as if just being the dominant force in North London is now not enough.

But it's not just a case of trying to get one over the Gunners; it is also whether or not they can keep this talented squad together. It may well be a case of whether or not Tottenham can match the ambition of the likes of Harry Kane and Dele Alli.


"Harry Kane warms up" Ian Johnson via Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

These two England internationals are yet to lift any silverware and you can imagine when they reflect on their career after a well-earned retirement, neither will be keen on saying, "well, at least we finished in the top four a couple of times".

The club is at the point where just being given the crumbs at the top table both domestically and on the continent is no longer good enough for Tottenham; they need to be dining out with the big boys and selecting a trophy or two from the menu.

They certainly have all the tools in place, starting with the manager. Although Mauricio Pochettino has been linked with many managerial roles as of late, he looks set to be the man who will be given the keys to the new stadium when its construction is finally complete.

It is an exciting time for Tottenham but, at the same time, there is also the danger of them being known as the team that just played good football and entertained while not ever getting over the line, something that will win you plaudits but unfortunately not accolades.