Micky van de Ven has revealed Tottenham Hotspur’s main target for the campaign, but achieving it will require a lot of improvement.
Tottenham Hotspur looked to have recovered from a 17th-place finish in the Premier League last season, registering some good results early in the current campaign.
However, Spurs have struggled to remain consistent and have slipped to 11th in the Premier League table, closer to the relegation zone than the top three teams in the division.
The North London Club’s form has been particularly poor since the most recent international break, with heavy defeats suffered against Arsenal and Nottingham Forest.
Some of Tottenham’s best results have come at home in the Champions League this season and Micky van de Ven is keen to ensure his team qualify for the competition again next year.
The central defender believes it is at this point in the season where distances between clubs begin to build, so it is essential for Spurs find some form.
Speaking on The Overlap, van de Ven told Gary Neville: “Our aim for this season is to make sure that we’re playing Champions League football again.
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“Top four or five is what we want. Every team in the Premier League is good. Every away game is tough, and even at home. If you’re feeling 90 per cent before a game, you’re likely to lose or drop points.
“Everyone can beat everyone, and the league is crazy. Look at a team like Aston Villa, at the start of the season, they were struggling, but now, they’re just behind Arsenal. This time of the season, around December and January, I think this is when we’re going to start seeing the gaps forming in the Premier League table.”
Spurs need to start securing victories immediately
Despite Tottenham’s poor displays in recent weeks, they are only four points off the top five, with many teams in the league struggling to build winning runs.
Spurs will be taking on Liverpool and Crystal Palace later this month, both of whom are above them in the league table. Victories in both these fixtures would likely put Thomas Frank’s team close to where they wish to be, but two defeats would put the side in jeopardy.
Tottenham simply have to start winning matches now, or else they will be on the wrong side of the forming gaps which van de Ven has spoken about.