Arsenal have been the top team in north London for quite a while now and along with Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool have fought for Champions league honours throughout their Premiership campaigns over the past 15 years.

But what about Tottenham Hotspur? Are they capable of mounting a serious challenge for Premiership honours or even a place in the top four to gain entry into the Champions League? I think not.

Yes, Dimitar Berbatov is a Champions League player and played well in the tournament when he was with Bayer Leverkusen, scoring five goals in one campaign.

'A Carling Cup win is hardly anything to shout about but at least it's a piece of silverware for the mantelpiece'


Unfortunately for Spurs, it takes more than one man to find success at the highest level.  If it wasn't for the classy Bulgarian's goals and assists this season, Spurs would be more relegation candidates than Euro giants.

A Carling Cup win is hardly anything to shout about but at least it's a piece of silverware for the mantelpiece. The other good players in the team are good but not brilliant or world class. They are pretty ordinary, in fact.

True, Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon have time on their hands to become more complete players and do have potential for major honours. But at present they are hardly going to leave Europe's best quaking in their boots.

Michael Dawson, Paul Robinson and Jermaine Jenas have played for their country but even that is nothing special these days. The strike force of Darren Bent and Robbie Keane again have a sense of quality but seem to lack consistency when playing for Tottenham. The whole team seem to struggle to gel together.

It's surprising really as when they do play well together the final product can be very special indeed.  Not every club can beat Chelsea and Arsenal in a cup competition in one season, but Spurs' 5-1 win against the Gunners was a master class and it's a pity the momentum does not last.

The problems off the pitch with management and owners do not help the team stay focused, but it's ultimately the players' fault for their lack of success in the league. Carling Cup glory and a good run in the UEFA Cup are not enough to keep the fans happy.
Liverpool, Chelsea, Man United and Arsenal have nothing to fear from Tottenham - yet! The quality of these teams is just too strong.  

Maybe in a few years Spurs could challenge the big boys if they can attract and retain quality players such as Berbatov.
But somehow I doubt this will happen and the White Hart Lane team will continue to under-achieve and continue being a Spur-part in the Premier League.