Spurs feeling the pressure

Having defeated Arsenal in the most recent north London derby I thought that Spurs had finally got over the hump.

The win punctuated an unbeaten run which stretched all the way back to December and with Gareth Bale firing on all cylinders some were even suggesting that Spurs could overtake Man City and propel themselves into second place.

'No capitulation this year' exclaimed the exuberant Spurs' fans but following that north London derby victory things have taken a rather worrying turn for the worse with echoes of last year's disastrous collapse under Harry Redknapp (taken out of context the end of that sentence is hilarious).

Defeats to Liverpool, Inter Milan and Fulham have had Spurs' fans biting their nails as Arsenal have gained ground on them but Wenger's men also have a game in hand so any more slip ups and it could be curtains for Andre Villas Boas' men.

The international break couldn't have come at a worse time for the team as the players had to be sent to all different parts of the globe and news of an injured Gareth Bale compounded matters. Bale is fit but playing for Wales against Croatia on Tuesday probably wasn't ideal especially considering that Spurs have to travel to Wales to face a Swansea side that can give the best teams a real test.

If Spurs fail to qualify for the Champions League then questions will be asked of AVB but, more importantly, Gareth Bale's future would like elsewhere as the Welshman has stated that he wants to play in Europe's elite competition (and, no, not the Europa League).

The heat is most definitely on for Spurs and it will be a test of their character and grit to see if they are able to finish this season on a high note.

Follow @JerryvanWav