With just 11 matches to go, [Tottenham Hotspur](https://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com) still finds itself in the bottom half of the Premier League table by a decent margin. Getting into the top 10 is not an insurmountable challenge, but it is worth asking what the benefit even would be (aside from finishing in the European places). This is a lost season domestically, but throwing in the towel with over two months left feels weird.
To salvage anything from the league, Spurs will need to perform well against the current top 10, of which seven remain on the fixture list. That includes Sunday’s visit from Bournemouth, who is clinging to seventh place but is heading in the wrong direction. AZ Alkmaar is still the priority after Thursday’s embarrassment, but there are enough healthy bodies to give it a go this weekend too.
### Tottenham Hotspur (t-13th, 33pts) vs. Bournemouth (t-7th, 43pts)
**Date**: Sunday, March 9
**Time**: 10:00 am ET, 2:00 pm UK
**Location**: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
**TV**: Peacock (US), Sky Sports Main Event (UK)
Bournemouth was a pleasant surprise near the top of the table but has drifted back in recent weeks. A top-three defense (32 goals allowed) has fueled this run, and the Cherries are fourth in xGD, showing this season is not a fluke. However, three losses in their last four matches — with a total of one goal scored in those defeats — show the club might be running out of gas.
The Cherries did only need one goal to take down Spurs at the Vitality, though. December’s 1-0 win could have been even more lopsided, with a 3.5-0.9 xG line indicating just how tilted the contest was. This was a day where Ange Postecoglou was forced to start Ben Davies and Radu Dragusin at center back (before Archie Gray replaced an injured Davies), but even the relatively unaffected front three were able to do very little.
### Chaos vs. control
Bournemouth has an identity and will stick to it, especially on the road. Even in recent matches with multiple goals, the attacking metrics do not jump off the page. The Cherries will wait for the counter and succeed at a high rate, perhaps willing to earn some set pieces, which is how the winner was scored in the reverse fixture. The Spurs defense is thankfully healthier this time around, but it will require an engaged 90 minutes with potentially limited, but dangerous, opportunities awaiting.
The flip side is Bournemouth’s recent poor form has come from a leaky defense. Tottenham struggled to control the middle of the pitch in December, and indeed that has remained a challenge. Whether it is Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, or even Lucas Bergvall taking on the central responsibility, the Spurs playmakers need to find ways to get the ball into the box. There are goals to be had if the attack is fluid, but often this feels like a difficult ask.
### Seeking sparks
Thursday’s limp effort against AZ was a familiar tale, with Tottenham showing very little creativity or directness with the ball. It is frustrating to have a lineup full of youthful players like Bergvall, Mathys Tel, Wilson Odobert, and Brennan Johnson — in addition to Djed Spence and Destiny Udogie — unable to consistently show an ability and willingness to attack with speed and put the defense in a difficult position.
On Sunday, this will be the test again. Good defenses are not going to just give away results, and Spurs seemingly have the pieces in place to generate…something. However, many of these names are not fully proven, and that might be the storyline to watch down the stretch. Postecoglou will have some decisions to make during the offseason (if he keeps his job) and the next couple months will be crucial for just about all of the attackers.