You're welcome.
Now that you've shown us on the doll where the bad man touched you we can get down to a proper analysis of the t
rue causes of the underlying trauma causing the rage and pain which consumes you.
They are in order:
1) An ownership which has overseen the managed decline of Tottenham's on field assets (squad depth and
quality) for a decade, whilst promising/projecting a false sense of strength and ambition.
2) The simultaneous rise of the hated evil empire down the round whose ownership did the complete opposite of ours.
These two things happened to reach their nadir in 23/24 and 24/25. The period in which Ange Postecoglou happened to be manager and, therefore, the focus of all your justified pain and, sadly, misguided rage.
We were warned - by Antonio Conte no less - what was happening. We just didn't want to believe it. Somehow we believed that Conte's rant and the subsequent collapse into the anarchy of the Stellini/Mason interregnum was a "blip". That we could cling to the memory of hope of Poch's 2016/17 team as if it were an aspiration our ownership would return too.
Then we sold Harry Kane for 86 million. And the Scum spend 100 million on Rice.
The real "blip" was Postecoglou's first 10 games. His ability to get buy in from a fresh group of players, world class performances from Bissouma; inverted full backs running through walls; Brennan Johnson scoring at the far post for fun. But it was all built on paper thin foundations. A few injuries and squad depth was exposed and the cracks could be seen.
But we finish 5th. Scum finish 2nd. Somehow we STILL believe in our divine right to rise back above the hated enemy down the road and reclaim our rightful 4th spot (the limit of our ambition). Surely we will strengthen the foundations?
We sign Solanke and three teenagers.
Even then the start to the 24/25 season was fine. As ever when Postecoglou has his back 5 available we track roundabout Top 4-6. In fact our xG metrics were very good. We beat City away 1-4. We are 4 points of 2nd spot with a GD of +14. But Vicario and Udogie get injured - joining Romero and VDV on the sidelines. Our foundation are still paper thin.
Our league season collapses.
But we go on to win the Europa League. We do so by not playing Romero and VDV together in the league for 3 months even though both are available. We are safe from relegation but cannot win a league game to save our lives. It's awful. Everyone knows the manager must go and he does. But some of us warn "he isn't the only problem". But others are certain everything will be better.
When we hire a perfectly decent manager in Thomas Frank people write things like this:
Now... you can't understand why people "die on the hill of Ange". But that is not what's happening here. It is a flawed analysis. Because you're still in denial about what the problem really is.
The problem is not, was not and never has been Ange Postecoglou.
The problem is not, was not and never has been Thomas Frank.
The problem is not, was not, and never has been Antonio Conte.
They might have all been "a" problem, but were never THE problem.
And once you understand that, you understand what a precious thing that Europa League trophy is. Because until the
real problem is solved - it's literally as good as it's going to get for us.
That's the hill we're dying on.
I hope you find some peace, my friend.