Are There Positives To A Tottenham Relegation? | Atletico Thrashing, Forcing ENIC Out & Championship Away Days (Q&A)

Jack welcomes stand-up comic James Regal to the podcast to dissect the absolute humiliation we suffered in Madrid at the hands of Atletico. We start by discussing the bizarrely slippery pitch and the catastrophic impact it had on the game, before turning our attention to Antonin Kinsky. The pair express their deep sympathy for the young player, whose dream Champions League debut brutally morphed into a living nightmare on the European stage. The conversation then shifts to the manager's dugout. We ask if Igor Tudor is entirely to blame for the tactical mess, and debate whether he needs to be replaced immediately if we have any hope of saving Tottenham from the impending drop. Trying to find a sliver of dark comedy in the situation, Jack and James even discuss whether there are actually any hidden positives to Spurs going down to the Championship. As it is a Q&A day, James also dives into your listener questions. We explore the ultimate financial conundrum of what it would actually take to force ENIC to sell the club, and finish on a lighter, self-deprecating note by discussing which lower-league stadia James is most looking forward to visiting in the event of our relegation. Theme is Ghost Cat by Gillen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

An absolute farce of a match in the Champions League for Spurs that must surely signal the end of the Tudor era. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jack welcomes Billie from the When The Whistle Blows podcast back to the show to reflect on the current doom spiralling at Tottenham Hotspur. With board neglect, mounting injuries, and a general feeling that the universe is conspiring against us, we try to find a reason to remain hopeful. We ask if the fans are now the last bastion keeping the club in the Premier League. The pair explore the heavy emotional toll of constantly rallying behind a team that has let the supporters down so often over the past couple of years, and discuss how we can possibly muster the energy to keep going when times are this tricky. Billie also touches on a fascinating conversation he recently had with renowned journalist Henry Winter on Last Word on Spurs alongside Ricky Sacks. We discuss how disarming, yet incredibly validating, it was to have somebody with such vast footballing knowledge from outside the Tottenham bubble notice the exact same structural failings that Spurs fans have been screaming about. Finally, attention turns to the Champions League and the upcoming clash with Atletico Madrid. Despite the sad reality that this could be the last game Spurs play in Europe's elite competition for quite some time, we debate whether the fixture simply feels like an unwelcome distraction from the terrifying and all-consuming threat of domestic relegation. Theme is Ghost Cat by Gillen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jack is joined by Adam Michie to confront the terrifying emotions swirling around the ether after Spurs lost their absolute 'must-win' game to Crystal Palace, making the threat of relegation a harrowing reality. We dive straight into the criticisms of the current squad. While it has undoubtedly been a difficult season with plenty of mitigating circumstances, we ask why these players consistently fail to shoulder their share of the blame when things get tough. The ire then shifts firmly towards the ownership. We dissect how ENIC have managed to take their eye off the ball at nearly every opportunity, consistently choosing to prioritise the business side of the club over the actual product on the pitch. To help make sense of the growing disconnect between the club and the fanbase, we discuss Adam's brilliant book, Orientation. Adam shares his own fan odyssey, detailing his disillusionment with top-flight football and how swapping the Premier League corporate machine for a season ticket at Leyton Orient helped him rediscover the true soul of what it means to support a football club. Adam also tackles a great selection of listener questions, offering his best 'mental health playbook' for surviving our current existential crisis. We debate the provocative idea of whether winning trophies might actually be bad for Tottenham in the long run, before finishing with a definitive ranking of the biggest derelictions of duty from the owners this season. Theme is Ghost Cat by Gillen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Spurs lose to Crystal Palace. Micky Van de ven sent off. This is darkest hour stuff. Is there any saving us? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jack welcomes Phil back to the microphone in the wake of yet another painful Tottenham defeat, this time a 2-1 loss at Craven Cottage. The pair unpack the frustrating Fulham performance, dissecting the problems that were entirely of our own making, whilst desperately trying to cling to the few positives we can take forward. However, there is an elephant in the room that simply cannot be ignored. Jack and Phil don their tinfoil hats to dive into the growing feeling of a conspiracy against Tottenham, sparked by the referee's refusal to penalise Raul Jimenez for a blatant push on Radu Dragusin in the build-up to Fulham's opener. The sense of victimhood goes into overdrive as the boys discuss the utterly bizarre decision by the Premier League's official social media accounts to post a video openly mocking Guglielmo Vicario. They indulge their frustrations at the disrespect before trying their hardest to bring some level-headed rationality back to the situation. Attention then turns to Thursday night under the lights against Crystal Palace. What is quickly turning into one of the most important games of our Premier League lives is analysed in depth. The pair discuss whether Spurs can finally turn the tide, exactly what needs to change on the pitch, and ask the terrifying question: would another loss spell certain death for Tottenham's top-flight survival? Theme is Ghost Cat by Gillen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Despite a spirited end to the game, once again we were nowhere to be seen for large periods of this match. Tottenham and Igor Tudor need to shape up quickly. Don't overcomplicate things, get players in their correct positions and fight. Tel has to start. Richarlison has to start. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jack welcomes Lara back to the show to try and make sense of the seemingly hopeless situation at Tottenham right now. We ask the big questions: what exactly is going wrong, who is ultimately to blame for this mess, and where on earth do the club go from here? Lara also tackles a selection of listener questions, diving into some fascinating debates. We discuss which of the 'best worst' players of yesteryear you would happily take back in the current side, and explore the paradox of whether Harry Kane and Son Heung-min are simultaneously the best and worst things to happen to the club in the last 10 years. The conversation then shifts to the media landscape, asking if Spurs podcasters and creators need to be less negative to help lift the club out of its current strife. Finally, we look at actionable steps and discuss how fans can get better organised to effectively protest the current state of affairs at the club. Theme is Ghost Cat by Gillen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jack welcomes Con back to the show, and he is angry. After specifically requesting to come on purely to vent his frustrations, the pair pick through the rubble of another painful North London Derby defeat. With the dust having settled slightly on the 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Arsenal, we desperately try to see if there are any positives to take forward as Tottenham find themselves thoroughly entrenched in a relegation battle. We ask the big questions: do these players actually have the stomach for a scrap at the bottom of the table? Can this squad be trusted when the pressure is truly on? We also take a microscope to some of the individual performances on the day, and speculate on the uncomfortable truth: if the unthinkable happens and Spurs do go down, who will be the first players to jump ship? Theme is Ghost Cat by Gillen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A bit later than usual, I try my best to break down what exactly went wrong yesterday... what bits did we get right? My fears for Spurs going forwards and just a general sense of trying to get my emotions in check after what was a miserable, miserable defeat. Just when you think the pain that club dishes out on us has maybe stopped, it always seems to find a way to make itself known. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices