in the clutch

:  to grasp or hold with or as if with the hand or claws usually strongly, tightly, or suddenly

:  clench

:  to seek to grasp and hold

:  the claws or a hand in the act of grasping or seizing firmly

:  an often cruel or unrelenting control, power, or possession

:  the act of grasping, holding, or restraining

:  made or done in a crucial situation

:  successful in a crucial situation

:  a nest of eggs or a brood of chicks

:  group, bunch