Eriksen Reflects on 2016

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN,AS HE REVIEWS THE LAST 12 MONTHS AND LOOKS AHEAD WITH ANTICIPATION TO 2017.

- Jon Rayner

As Christian Eriksen looks back over the last 12 months, he does so with a sense of mixed emotions but the over-riding feeling is most certainly one of positivity.

There’s no question that 2016 has been a good year for the club. Admittedly, we weren’t able to add any silverware to the cabinet but the progress made under the guidance of Mauricio Pochettino has been clearly evident and, most importantly, shows no signs of letting up anytime soon.

Eriksen played his part as much as anyone as we spent the first half of the year challenging for the Premier League title before ultimately falling short in the final few, dramatic weeks of last season, while we’ve continued to impress so far in the first five months of the 2016-17 campaign and enter the New Year full of hope and optimism.

In the 37 league matches that we’ve played in 2016, we’ve lost just six times – four of those coming last season against Leicester City, West Ham United, Southampton and Newcastle United, while we’ve suffered defeats to tonight’s opponents Chelsea and Manchester United this term. We’ve collected a club record 71 points over the course of the last 12 months, finished in our highest ever position in the Premier League and have a squad full of hungry, ambitious players who are eager for success.

There has been plenty for Christian to smile about when asked for his memories of the year, during which he started in all but one of our league games and chipped in with nine goals from midfield.

“I would have to say it has been a good year for me personally and also for the team,” said the 24-year-old Danish international. “Of course it had its ups and downs as every year does, but what springs to mind first when I look back is that we achieved our goal of finishing in the top four last season and securing a place in the Champions League.