Tottenham must put odd week behind them ahead of cup clashes

It's been an odd week for Tottenham.

It's been just over a week since their 1-1 draw with Wolves, that game serving as the perfect example as to how the playing style currently employed can lead to points being thrown away from winning positions.

The next fixture with Fulham was postponed due to a Covid-19 outbreak in their squad, and then news emerged of Spurs stars Sergio Reguilon, Giovani Lo Celso and Erik Lamela breaking the current guidelines in place to spend Christmas together.

Each bar Reguilon has since apologised, but it's a gentle reminder that footballers, regardless of whether you love them for playing for your club, are capable of moments of stupidity. During a time when the United Kingdom's R rate is spiralling pretty rapidly out of control, news of footballers brushing it to one side to have a big ol' festive get-together has not gone down well.

None of the trio featured against Leeds - Lo Celso is not expected to be available at all in January due to a hamstring injury, Lamela will be absent for the Carabao Cup semi final against Brentford for an unspecified reason, while Reguilon was benched by Jose Mourinho in favour of Ben Davies.

But while Leeds have shown how dangerous they can be in attack so far this season, their game plan fell right into Tottenham's lap on Saturday.

Leaving space all over the pitch ultimately came back to bite the visitors, even if they did carve out a number of openings especially during the first half.

But all it took was a lapse in concentration as Ezgjan Alioski brought own Steven Bergwijn, allowing Harry Kane to score from the spot. Son Heung-min doubled the lead 14 minutes later by sweeping in Kane's cross, before Toby Alderweireld made it 3-0 from a corner, helped by some suspect goalkeeping from Illan Meslier.

That rather comfortable win has Tottenham up to fourth in the Premier League, though the table remains ridiculously congested and they could slip further down by the time they face Aston Villa on 13 January.

Before then, however, are two cup fixtures - the aforementioned Carabao Cup fixture with Brentford on Tuesday, followed by an FA Cup trip to Marine on Sunday.

The game against the Bees is certainly laced with danger - the second tier side haven't lost since late October and have knocked out Southampton, West Brom, Fulham and Newcastle to reach this stage. Spurs undoubtedly remain favourites, but with a final against either Manchester City or Manchester United - teams they have already beaten in differing but still emphatic styles this season - on the line, it's not the game for wholesale changes.

The usual core of Kane, Son and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg will be required, and hopefully Bergwijn will be given another opportunity to improve on his bright but less than clinical recent performances.

Then, if all goes well, bring the younger guns out for Marine. Give Joe Rodon and Carlos Vinicius opportunities there before that crucial trip to Villa, who as of now remain firmly in the Champions League qualification hunt as one of the billion teams currently sat on 26 points.

Everyone can agree progress has been a long, attritional grind under Mourinho since his appointment in late 2019. Patience with his methods might have lasted a little longer in some corners of the Tottenham fanbase had they not been faced with the same long, attritional grind this pandemic has thrust upon the world.

But the former Chelsea and Real Madrid manager has proven before that the ends justify the means. He has Tottenham one game away from a cup final and only four points off Premier League leaders Liverpool.

Spurs have had a rough patch. Now it's about progressing in the cup competitions and moving ahead of those around them in the league.

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