You have a lot of ups and downs being a Tottenham Hotspur fan, more downs than ups in my lifetime. Things could be worse, I've never seen my team get relegated but they have only won three trophies in my lifetime since I started going - 1991, 1999 and 2008. I don't count the cup trophies of 1982 and 1984 as I was busy rolling around myself.
Yet the most recent Spurs defeat in an FA Cup semi-final to Manchester United (21-4-18) was not your typical Spurs-y performance; it was not the sort of game where they went all Spurs-y and threw it away. The only circumstance was they threw away a position of superiority and did not see it out, but this was against a team who wanted to win the game versus a side who wanted to play football.
This has been the criticism of Tottenham in recent years, they like to play football and yet cannot do the things you need to do to win vital football matches. For all the stats of possession and territory translating to shots on target, there remains a lack of composure in the final third.
In the season when Leicester City won the league, they came to White Hart Lane and won 1-0 due a set-piece goal after Tottenham had dominated. Leicester soaked up pressure, got one chance and converted it. At that moment, the game did not seem important until it was important.
Tottenham again find themselves in moments of superiority and yet cannot convert into dominance or victory, before they took the lead on Saturday they were in the ascendancy and yet did not force De Gea into many saves with off-target attempts. They finished the first half on the front foot including an Eric Dier effort hitting the bottom of a post.
In the second half, more pressure was undone by Manchester United converting their first chance of the half and then it was down to Tottenham to breakdown a stoic resistance of a familiar Mourinho side.
And yet the team struggled to find an fluidity or cohesion, trying to pass through a resolute back-line without little success failing to utilise the width and delivery of Kieran Trippier. Whilst Pochettino may be at fault for not starting Toby Alderwield on Saturday, there were not many options on the bench to change the game - Erik Lamela has had an indifferent run of form, Lucas Moura is good on the ball but not electric in the box and there was no out and out striker to score a goal.
The reliance on Harry Kane reared its head again and he was unusually absent throughout the game, Christian Eriksen was hounded in possession and Moussa Dembele was outmuscled and below par.
Oddly, the goal came from a long ball from Davison Sanchez which found Eriksen in acres of pitch to pass to Alli unmarked in the box to convert the first goal. Reminiscent of Alli's goal versus Chelsea which also came from a long ball; the pragmatism to remain loyal to the passing and movement led to our downfall as we were over-run in midfield by Pogba, Matic and Herrera.
Pochettino can do only so much to prepare his troops for these big games, but until they win a big one, those questions will circulate constantly from naysayers and critics. Another season without a trophy leaves a bitter pill, but a close season with more additions may make it easier to swallow. I have been lucky enough to see Tottenham captains lift trophies three times at Wembley. It has been 10 years since the last, how long must we wait for the next?
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