The reckoning starts here for Postecoglou - next six games are crucial for him

No team in English professional football have played fewer games than Tottenham this season and with only a dozen Premier League outings in nearly four months, the going has been particularly tedious since the turn of the year.

Now it all ends with a rush of six games in three weeks, starting with tomorrow’s derby against Arsenal, and something of a reckoning to determine how Ange Postecoglou’s first year goes down in history.

No trophies. Nothing new there. More flair, big tick from the faithful. But can they qualify for the Champions League? Will they fizzle into the Europa League? Or worse? And just how much satisfaction can they derive if they manage to sabotage Arsenal’s title bid?

That certainly isn't Postecoglou's style.  'I want to win and I understand the importance of winning against your traditional rival,’ said the Spurs boss. ‘I’ve come down from Glasgow, I’ve a fair idea about what derbies mean to supporters but I never believe your motivation should revolve around the demise of somebody else.

‘Your motivation should be about yourself. I want to win because I want us to achieve something. I want us to progress. I want us to be in a position fighting for the title. That’s what drives me not the demise.

‘If that’s your kind of measure, always peering over the back fence to see what your neighbour’s building, you could both have the worst houses in the street.’

Tottenham are fifth with the same points (60) and only five goals fewer (65) than in the whole of last season when they came eighth. ‘I’d be disappointed,’ said Postecoglou when asked yesterday if he would have been happy with that outcome at the start of the season.

‘At the start of the year, I wouldn’t have settled for fifth. I would’ve tried to win it