There is now such outright terror in this squad of playing with the ball and actually going a goal up that it is counterproductive to do so. The problem we have created for ourselves is that going a goal up on the League Cup final- which Jose's one job was to win - is detrimental

There are so many players that are below the level we apparently think we are at, and believe we belong. But every player in the squad, barring perhaps Kane, perversely, gets 10% better purely for Jose Mourinho being sacked. The message that sends is louder than whoever comes in.

Sliding doors moments. If Kane's free kick doesn't fly in against Villa, maybe we'd have never have been here at all. If Lanzini's shot sails over, maybe Jose makes tweaks rather than wholesale changes to style. Maybe he doesn't radiate terror with every opposition attack.

Spurs are cyclical. We have been for 25 years. Some good years followed by inevitable bad. We had further to fall this time, but each time we reach a slightly higher peak. But at all times, you could sense a plan. Maybe not lined with silverware, but a plan, a method. Something.

Now...well, nothing. An illustrious, apparently still brilliant manager but who was so easily attainable. It's an opportunity to some, a ref flag to others.

Get rid of the manager and maybe 4 players, replace them with youngsters with hunger and, dare we even say it, raw endearing naivety, and who knows. But this is just *nothing*. It's barely existing. It's early 2000s Tottenham Hotspur. Half the game is won just by turning up.