{"id":15815,"date":"2026-02-05T12:00:55","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T12:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/?p=15815"},"modified":"2026-02-05T12:05:11","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T12:05:11","slug":"tottenham-really-relegated","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/tottenham-really-relegated","title":{"rendered":"Could Tottenham really get relegated?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/team\/tottenham-114\">Tottenham<\/a> seasons are not supposed to feel like this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They\u2019re supposed to be about the geometry of the top four, the soft arithmetic of \u201cif we win our game in hand,\u201d the occasional delusion that a cup run might turn into something cinematic. Instead, here we are in February, staring at 14th place and quietly opening the league table like it might contain bad news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not doom. Not disaster. But discomfort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And when a club the size of Tottenham Hotspur spends long enough in the bottom half, one question inevitably crawls into view.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Could they actually go down?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s treat it seriously, not dramatically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Recent Premier League years have not been kind to Tottenham<\/h2><nav><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#the-reality-check-first\">The reality check first<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#what-has-actually-gone-well\">What has actually gone well<\/a><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#xavi-simons-has-changed-the-tempo\">Xavi Simons has changed the tempo<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#the-attack-still-has-match-winners\">The attack still has match-winners<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#theyre-not-getting-battered\">They\u2019re not getting battered<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#so-why-are-they-14th\">So why are they 14th?<\/a><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#injuries-to-the-spine\">Injuries to the spine<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#too-many-draws-not-enough-edge\">Too many draws, not enough edge<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#control-problems-late-in-matches\">Control problems late in matches<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#identity-wobble\">Identity wobble<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#the-next-five-games-that-shape-everything\">The next five games that shape everything<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#so-could-tottenham-really-go-down\">So, could Tottenham really go down?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#fa-qs\">FAQs<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-reality-check-first\">The reality check first<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Tottenham are not in the relegation zone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They have a nine-point cushion to 18th and a roughly neutral goal difference. Those two facts alone matter more than any vibes, podcasts, or group chat spirals. Teams that go down usually look worse than this on paper. They leak goals. They lose heavily. They feel brittle every week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Spurs are not that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They\u2019re just\u2026 uneven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Which is its own kind of frustrating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because uneven keeps you stuck in the mud. Not bad enough to reset. Not good enough to breathe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-2245072637-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 8: Xavi Simons of Tottenham Hotspurs and Noussair Mazraoui of Manchester United F.C. battle for a ball during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on November 8, 2025 in London, England. \" class=\"wp-image-15665\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-2245072637-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-2245072637-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-2245072637-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-2245072637-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-2245072637-scaled.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Sebastian Frej\/MB Media\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-has-actually-gone-well\">What has actually gone well<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It hasn\u2019t all been bleak. That part gets lost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are genuine positives that suggest Tottenham\u2019s floor is still too high for a real relegation scrap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"xavi-simons-has-changed-the-tempo\">Xavi Simons has changed the tempo<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The biggest bright spot has been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/player\/xavi-simons-79746\">Xavi Simons.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He has brought something Spurs have badly needed for stretches of the past two seasons: unpredictability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Simons doesn\u2019t just recycle possession. He accelerates games. He carries the ball through lines, commits defenders, and forces matches to tilt forward. Tottenham often look most alive when he receives on the half-turn and drives. Suddenly the whole pitch stretches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s not just flair for the sake of it. It\u2019s functional chaos. The good kind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When he plays well, Spurs look like a team with ideas rather than one waiting for something to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That matters more than any single stat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Our Most Impactful Player of the Week is Xavi Simons who has taken Tottenham&#8217;s game vs Man City by storm! <br \/><br \/>Spurs&#8217; star was EVERYWHERE on the pitch, being instrumental in his team&#8217;s 2-2 draw vs the Cityzens <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Qm72moeOtV\">pic.twitter.com\/Qm72moeOtV<\/a><\/p>\r\n\u2014 365Scores (@365Scores) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/365Scores\/status\/2019022460428120309?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">February 4, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote>\r\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-attack-still-has-match-winners\">The attack still has match-winners<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Even in a stuttering year, Tottenham have not become toothless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They still create chances. They still score enough to stay competitive most weeks. They are rarely shut out or dominated for 90 minutes straight. There\u2019s still enough talent in the front third that a game can flip with one run or one shot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s a huge difference between Spurs and the true relegation candidates. Teams that go down often need five things to go right to score. Tottenham usually need one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That gives you random wins, and random wins keep you safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"theyre-not-getting-battered\">They\u2019re not getting battered<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>This is boring but important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Spurs are not being routinely smashed 3-0 or 4-0. Their goal difference hovering around even tells you most matches are close. Close games are survivable. Heavy defeats are not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re consistently in matches, you tend to pick up points by accident over a 38-game season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Relegation teams rarely have that luxury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"922\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/GettyImages-2209049616-1024x922.jpg\" alt=\"LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 10: Tottenham Hotspur's Cristian Romero during the UEFA Europa League 2024\/25 Quarter Final First Leg match between Tottenham Hotspur and Eintracht Frankfurt at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 10, 2025 in London, England. \" class=\"wp-image-10880\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/GettyImages-2209049616-1024x922.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/GettyImages-2209049616-300x270.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/GettyImages-2209049616-768x692.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/GettyImages-2209049616-1536x1383.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/GettyImages-2209049616-scaled.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Rob Newell &#8211; CameraSport via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"so-why-are-they-14th\">So why are they 14th?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If there are positives, the obvious question follows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How are they still down here?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is where the problems stack up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"injuries-to-the-spine\">Injuries to the spine<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Tottenham\u2019s season has been repeatedly interrupted by injuries in the worst possible places.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not just rotation pieces. Core pieces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you lose central creators or key defensive organisers, you don\u2019t just lose quality. You lose structure. The relationships that make passing patterns automatic disappear. Suddenly everything takes an extra touch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Spurs have had too many matches where the team looks like it\u2019s been assembled that morning rather than built over months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s how you end up with draws that should be wins and losses that feel avoidable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over time, those little margins drag you into the bottom half.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"too-many-draws-not-enough-edge\">Too many draws, not enough edge<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>This might be the simplest explanation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tottenham haven\u2019t been terrible. They just haven\u2019t been ruthless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Games that sit at 1-1 tend to stay 1-1. Matches that need a nasty, set-piece goal or a scrappy rebound often drift away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mid-table seasons are built on converting fine margins. Spurs have dropped too many of those 50-50s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s not collapse. It\u2019s leakage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And leakage over 24 games is how you wake up in 14th.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"control-problems-late-in-matches\">Control problems late in matches<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s also been a pattern of Spurs struggling to manage games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They\u2019ll play well for an hour, then lose grip. Lines get stretched. The press gets half-hearted. Suddenly the opposition is camping in their half.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That lack of game management costs points quietly. One late concession here. One cheap transition there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Add it all up and you\u2019ve probably left six or seven points on the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Six or seven points is the difference between 14th and flirting with the top half.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"identity-wobble\">Identity wobble<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s a stylistic tension too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tottenham want to be proactive and front-footed. That\u2019s great when confidence is high. When confidence dips, it can look naive. The same risks that create chances can create chaos at the other end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes Spurs look caught between two versions of themselves. Not aggressive enough to dominate, not pragmatic enough to grind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Relegation battles reward clarity. Spurs have looked a bit undecided.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"818\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-1354438500-818x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15817\" style=\"width:518px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-1354438500-818x1024.jpg 818w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-1354438500-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-1354438500-768x961.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-1354438500-1227x1536.jpg 1227w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-1354438500-scaled.jpg 1636w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 818px) 100vw, 818px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Alex Livesey\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-next-five-games-that-shape-everything\">The next five games that shape everything<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the stretch where the relegation question either disappears or gets louder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Manchester United away \u2013 hard<br>A top-four side chasing Europe. Points here would be a bonus, not an expectation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Newcastle United home \u2013 medium-hard<br>A strong, physical team around Spurs in quality. Very losable. Very winnable. Exactly the kind of game that defines seasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Arsenal home \u2013 very hard<br>League leaders. High intensity. Emotionally draining. Even a good performance might not equal points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fulham away \u2013 medium<br>Dangerous but beatable. The kind of fixture good mid-table teams quietly win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Crystal Palace home \u2013 medium with pressure<br>Same points, same part of the table. This is the tone-setter. Win and the mood lifts. Drop points and the anxiety returns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If Spurs take seven or eight points from this run, nobody mentions relegation again. If they take two or three, suddenly it becomes a weekly topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s how thin the margins are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"so-could-tottenham-really-go-down\">So, could Tottenham really go down?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Technically, yes. The Premier League punishes complacency and weird things happen every year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the bigger picture still says unlikely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tottenham have too much attacking quality, too much baseline talent, and too much of a points buffer to be genuine favourites for the drop. They look like a flawed mid-table side, not a sinking one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Right now, this feels like a season of frustration rather than survival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Annoying, not existential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Still, if they want this question to disappear completely, they don\u2019t need magic. They just need competence. Fewer injuries. Fewer sloppy late moments. A bit more ruthlessness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Turn three draws into wins and the whole conversation evaporates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s the difference between 14th and calm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Below Brighton and Bournemouth in the premier league. Above Real Madrid and Barcelona in the Champions League. Tottenham Hotspur ladies and gentlemen<\/p>\r\n\u2014 Billie (@Billie_T) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Billie_T\/status\/2016630568343994684?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">January 28, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote>\r\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"fa-qs\">FAQs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Are Tottenham actually in danger right now?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not immediately. They\u2019re clear of the bottom three and still competitive in most matches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What has been the biggest positive?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Xavi Simons\u2019 creativity and ball carrying have added tempo and unpredictability to the attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What has hurt them most?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Injuries to key players, too many drawn games, and lapses late in matches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Which upcoming game feels most important?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Every game, but particularly Crystal Palace at home. It\u2019s a direct table neighbour and a psychological swing match.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Most likely finish?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Somewhere in the lower middle, closer to 11th or 12th than 18th, followed by a summer rebuild and a collective sigh of relief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><em>By Nicky Helfgott &#8211; <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/NickyHelfgott1\"><em>NickyHelfgott1 on X (Twitter<\/em>)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep up with all the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\">latest football news<\/a> and<a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/league\/premier-league-7\/news\"> Premier League news<\/a> on 365Scores!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Tottenham seasons are not supposed to feel like this. They\u2019re supposed to be about the geometry of the top four, the soft arithmetic of \u201cif we win our game in hand,\u201d the occasional delusion that a cup run might turn into something cinematic. Instead, here we are in February, staring at 14th place and quietly &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":12690,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,2338],"tags":[2264,4629,245,4630,4628,206,4615,13,4624,2948,1119,2980,4626,4623,4625,4627,180,2976,4622,2097],"class_list":["post-15815","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-soccer","category-premier-league","tag-ange-postecoglou","tag-arsenal-vs-tottenham","tag-crystal-palace","tag-fulham-fc","tag-manchester-united-vs-tottenham","tag-newcastle-united","tag-north-london-football","tag-premier-league","tag-premier-league-relegation-fight","tag-premier-league-table","tag-spurs","tag-spurs-injuries","tag-spurs-tactics","tag-tottenham-2025-26-season","tag-tottenham-analysis","tag-tottenham-fixtures","tag-tottenham-hotspur","tag-tottenham-hotspur-stadium","tag-tottenham-relegation-battle","tag-xavi-simons","article_type-discover","entity_type-competition","entity_type-competitor","inspiration-365s-articles"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15815","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15815"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15815\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15829,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15815\/revisions\/15829"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12690"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15815"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15815"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15815"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}