Mauricio Pochettino has claimed that finishing in the top four should be Spurs’ main aim for the season.
Hardly surprising he’s said that following the London club’s two domestic cup exits in four days.
Top four has been the aim since he took over at Spurs, but surely it’s time to start aiming higher?
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You only have to look at what Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said about Man United’s ambitions for the rest of the season to understand why Pochettino’s comments are beginning to wear thin.
The Red Devil’s manager has his team firing on all cylinders, unbeaten in his first nine games – winning eight.
A top four finish looked unthinkable when Jose Mourinho got the sack back in December.
Man United now have Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs in their sights.
Should the Old Trafford side make the top four, it may be enough to secure the Norwegian the job full-time.
Yet fourth place isn’t enough for Solskjaer, who is pushing his players for silverware, claiming a Man United team should always be looking for trophies.
But should Man United’s ambitions still exceed Spurs’?
Since the Sir Alex Ferguson days, Man United have finished outside the top four on three occasions, making it into the elite group just twice.
Despite huge transfer fees, they have finished behind Spurs in all but one of those campaigns.
While Spurs have been involved in two title challenges, if you can really call them that? They are yet to win a trophy under Pochettino.
They have one of the best strikers in Europe, the World Cup winning captain in goal and a solid spine to a team that has played together for over two years.
So why is it still unthinkable for them to be challenging for the big trophies?
He would need to pull off a miracle to win the Champions League, and the Premier League is surely out of sight.
But if the manager doesn’t think it can happen, that mentality must filter down into his squad.
Yes, we know that Spurs are not without issues this year.
Between the ever-lasting stadium issues and the countless injuries, it’s fair to say they haven’t had the rub of the Premier League green.
Despite what Pochettino said, he will be desperate for silverware.
Of course he will, no manager in the world is ambivalent to what you are ultimately measured by.
He, rather cleverly, has painted Spurs as the plucky underdogs who keep seeming to over-achieve.
Now, very much a cemented top four side, that excuse is starting to lose its credibility.
This may well be his last year as Spurs’ manager, with Man United looking a very realistic option for Pochettino.
If that is to be the case, it will be a genuine shame if he can’t put some silverware in the cabinet.
You can be sure wherever the Argentinian ends up next, the calibre of the club he manages will expect a little more optimism.