Our series of 2015-16 Premier League team previews continues with a look at the perennial top four hopefuls Tottenham Hotspur.
Not since the transfer blitz of the 2013 window has Tottenham signed an attacking player and the trend has continued this time around. Kevin Wimmer was the Spurs’ first signing this summer and Pochettino will be hoping to mold the raw 22-year-old into a long-term replacement for Jan Vertonghen. Following Wimmer into the corridors of White Hart Lane was Keiran Trippier. A solid right-back with a season –albeit a difficult one- of Premier League football under his belt, Trippier was signed from relegated Burnley and is expected to challenge Kyle Walker and D’Andre Yedlin for a first team place. Tottenham’s biggest signing so far this offseason has been Toby Alderweireld, arriving from Atletico Madrid following a saga between his club and Southampton where he spent last season on loan. Alderweireld is expected to slot straight into the Spurs first-choice defence next to compatriot Vertonghen, although he faces a fight from Federico Fazio and Eric Dier.
A new manager meant that last season was a transitional one for Spurs. Not every footballer can fit into every system, and many would struggle with the demands of a playing for a Pochettino team. His preference of young players are well documented, and last season, he showed that he is not afraid to put his faith in the youth. Harry Kane, Dier, Nabil Bentaleb and Ryan Mason all formed part of the Tottenham spine. Pochettino brought his high-pressing, high-energy football to White Hart Lane and in the end they finished a respectable fifth place, as well as a run to the Capital One Cup final –Spurs’ first in six years. Unfortunately, rivals and eventual-champions Chelsea beat them on the big day, however, the match will prove to be a valuable learning experience for a young squad.
Manager
Mauricio Pochettino now enters the second of his five-year contract. If history is anything to go by, the second year of a manager’s tenure at White Hart Lane usually ends with the sack – Juande Ramos and Andre Villas-Boas being the most recent examples. Pochettino’s aim for the season will be to improve on or maintain their fifth place finish as well as having the team successfully playing his pressing-style on a consistent basis. The system is clear and Pochettino rarely deviates from his strong, Bielsa-influence beliefs. Spurs will continue to play a 4-2-3-1 formation, with three attacking-midfielders interchanging behind the striker, pacey full-backs and 11 athletic players capable of filling different positions and moving at a high tempo. Baring a catastrophic season, Pochettino has higher job security than many managers in the Premier League. It is believed that he is highly rated by the players and the board and with three-years left on his contract after this season, it is hopefully the young Argentinian who will lead the Lilywhites into their new stadium.
Strengths
Tottenham’s main strength is their attacking prowess. They were the only team in the Premier League last season with three players scoring more than 10 goals, as Nacer Chadli, Christian Eriksen and Harry Kane all hit double figures. They were the fifth highest scoring team last season and will be hoping that their players can produce the same level of output this time around. There will also be hope among the White Hart Lane faithful that Erik Lamela will prove himself and begin to contribute goals to the team. The other strength is their goalkeeping position, possessing a truly world class goalkeeper in the form of Hugo Lloris. The Frenchman is entering his fourth season at White Hart Lane and has produced some outstanding individual performances during that time. If Pochettino is to improve Spurs’ defence collectively, he will need Lloris to maintain his high standards.
Weaknesses
The major weakness is in the defence. They have no other choice but to improve on their dismal defensive record of last season where their goals conceded column was on par with the relegated Burnley and QPR. Pochettino has a lot of work to do to improve the defensive structure of the team so that the center-backs are not left exposed. To do this, Tottenham will need to sign a central-defensive-midfielder before the transfer window closes in August. While Mason and Bentaleb are a decent technical partnership, neither provides cover for the defence. Providing Pochettino gets in a defensive-midfielder as well as a improving the backline as a whole, Spurs could realistically aim for a top four spot.
Key player
Lloris, Eriksen, Vertonghen and Kane all have a claim to be the key player at Spurs, each is a vital name in his own right. This season, if they are to seriously challenge for the top four, then Vertonghen’s form will be the most integral to such a challenge. The Belgian took the Premier League by storm in his first season, with stellar defensive performances as well as chipping in with a few goals. Since then, however, his form has dipped. Various reasons have been alleged to have caused this, a dissatisfaction with the lack of a quality defensive partner, falling out with Tim Sherwood, and the frustration of Spurs rejecting a bid from Barcelona have all been listed as causes for Vertonghen’s poor run since he broke into the PFA team of the year in the 2012-13 season. He now has a manager who he likes in Pochettino, as well as his compatriot and former Ajax defensive partner, Alderweireld. These factors combined should hopefully propel “Super Jan” back to the upper-echelon of Premier League defenders and seriously push Tottenham towards a better defensive line and top four challenge.
Best XI (4-2-3-1)
Lloris, Walker, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose, Mason, Bentaleb, Lamela, Eriksen, Chadli, Kane
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Prediction
If they are to achieve their objectives this season, the Tottenham defence will definitely have to improve. In addition, Kane will have to keep up his excellent goal return, if not better his tally from 2014-15. Hopefully he is joined by a new striker, with Emmanuel Adebayor and Roberto Soldado seemingly on their way out. A top six place is likely for Pochettino’s men yet again.
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