Our Tottenham Hotspur fans here in the Transfer Tavern are hoping that the end of the season brings a piece of long-awaited silverware for Mauricio Pochettino.

The Argentine has turned Spurs into title contenders over the few years he’s been at the club, running teams close in several seasons but always seeming to come up short in the final stages of the season.

This season has been seen as a failure compared to previous and Spurs have fought hard to get back in the running for one of the four places up for grabs – although it’s been made much easier with Chelsea’s very poor form. Pochettino will be hoping that the Wembley experience can pay off in the FA Cup too as they have potentially two ‘home’ matches in the competition, should they brush past 2016 winners Man United in the semi-final next month.

However, if Spurs are to continue on their recent upward trajectory next year, our landlord feels that these two matches in will define the final months of the season…

vs Chelsea

The following the international break, Spurs have the small matter of a London derby to deal with against fifth-placed Chelsea. With the Blues seeking to hunt down their rivals in the final few months of the season in a bid for Champions League football, it promises to be a cracker.

Spurs will want to dent their rivals hopes of catching them up and a win would not only open up a gap between the two but give the local bragging rights to Spurs.

Man United semi-final

The semi-final of the FA Cup is played on neutral ground, however, for this season only it plays right into the Lillywhites’ hands. A Wembley semi-final against the might of Man United should be a season-defining game for Pochettino, as he bids to push his Spurs team into a final and finally get his hands on a piece of silverware.

Our regulars will be hoping that it can be the start of a new era as they move into their new stadium the following season.