Why Tottenham's Wembley move could wreak havoc on title aspirations
It seems like a dream solution to a tricky problem, as space in London comes at a premium. But could a move to Wembley prove a nightmare for Tottenham?
The north London outfit confirmed Friday it's moving to Wembley Stadium for the 2017-18 season, while work is completed on a new £800-million, 61,000-seat home ground, being built on the same plot of land as its old digs. A May 14 date with Manchester United ends a 118-year stay at White Hart Lane, and England's national ground will subsequently act as home base.
Historically, however, Wembley hasn't been kind to Spurs, even as recently as last week when Chelsea trounced Mauricio Pochettino's men 4-2 in an FA Cup semi-final tilt under the arch. It's not the only bad memory Spurs fans have of the 90,000-seat complex, as the club has won just twice at the stadium since 2007.
Conversely, six losses and a draw tell the story of a team that's had something of a hoodoo at Wembley, where defeats included League Cup finals against Manchester United (2009) and Chelsea (2015), FA Cup semi-finals against Portsmouth (2010) and Chelsea (2012), and 2016 Champions League matches against AS Monaco and Bayer Leverkusen.
Tottenham did manage to beat Chelsea in the 2008 League Cup final, and then defeated CSKA Moscow in its rental accommodation last year. The side also earned a draw against Gent in this past Europa League campaign, but those results have been little more than consolations in an otherwise less-than-satisfactory stay.
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Tottenham need only look to West Ham to find an all-too-recent example of regression that comes with a new home. The Boleyn Ground was rocking as Slaven Bilic's side finished seventh last year, but a move to the Olympic Stadium has seen West Ham fall to 14th this season. It's cold, open expanses have drowned out the once-raucous crowd, who, despite forever blowing bubbles, cannot intimidate opposition outfits like they once could at Upton Park.
Wembley, too, is significantly larger and vaster than Spurs' players are used to, so Pochettino must make tactical adjustments for the wider field. Wembley measures in at 115 yards by 75 yards, while White Hart Lane is listed at 110 yards by 73 yards - among the smallest in the Premier League.
Three times as many fans can pack Wembley, but a visit to this iconic ground would serve as equal motivation for visiting outfits, and for all its trying, Spurs fans can never truly feel at home here, anyway. There will be no escaping the feeling that each match is a final, at least in atmosphere. That's the allure Wembley has crafted for itself over the last decade.
In a period where Pochettino has managed to hold onto his young stars and build a team of title challengers, a move away also comes at an inconvenient time, regardless of which new venue was chosen. And certainly, Tottenham could have done a lot worse than Wembley.
In any case, Spurs' young group of players will have its mental fortitude and adaptability tested, even after this move from familiar comforts is over and a new home stadium of its own beckons. For the time being, Pochettino's side will hope the many sleeps between now and then come and go without much turbulence, and the next chapter in club history can be written anew.