Premier League

End Game: EPL Round-Up for Game Week 6

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And then there were two.

After six gameweeks of this year’s Premier League season, only Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City remain unbeaten. Now the two in-form teams are on a collision course to meet next weekend. In this weekend’s action, Pochettino’s men rose to second place in the table after another convincing win, this time away to Middlesborough. So what conclusions can we draw from this weekend’s action?

Empire of the Son

Where else could we begin but with the star of the show? Son showed glimpses of his ability last season, but overall struggled to adapt quickly to life in London. A move for a Korean, from Germany to England would be extremely difficult for any 24-year-old and Tottenham’s leadership were wise not to pull the plug on the Son experiment when attractive bids came in over summer. Son has rewarded this faith with stellar form this season as he has stolen the show every time his number has been called. On Saturday Heung Min Son was a menace across the attacking midfield. He was a ball of energy and gave the Middlesborough defence headaches all afternoon. His first goal was an ice cool finish after some perfect ‘number 9’ hold up play from Vincent Janssen. His second goal however was a thing of beauty. He refused to give up on a lost ball on the far side of the box before chasing away from would-be tacklers and bending the ball into the far top corner. It’s foolish to make season-long predictions after just 6 games but there is no doubt that Son’s current form is that of a Premier League Player of the Season. Many may laugh that statement off considering we’re not yet out of September, but think back to last year, when the unheralded Riyad Mahrez exploded in similar fashion. Could be worth a fiver punt?

A Case for the Defence

This site has oft been vocal in our praise for Toby Alderweireld (who recently ranked number one in our early season Tottenham Power Rankings). In a world where John Stones and David Luiz move for more than £30million, the £12million acquisition of Alderweireld last term seems like witchcraft. The Belgian colossus has continued to excel at the heart of the defence but in light of our recent form, I want to also shine the light on the other key components who have given Tottenham the Premier League’s meanest defence so far this season.

Jan Vertonghen has come under scrutiny from some fans in recent years for his perceived lack of effort when things were going poorly. However, when these complaints were rising, Jan was struggling through a defensive mess, where he was joined by a new defensive partner (Kaboul, Chiriches, Dawson) seemingly every week. Ever since Vertonghen has been combined with his compatriot Toby, his form and attitude have been nothing short of impeccable. Aside from this, this season more than ever, Vertonghen has emerged as a key leader in the group: He has been extremely vocal in his praise of the club’s vision and of many of his teammates.

With just 3 goals conceded after 6 games so far, much credit must go to the above mentioned pair, Mauricio Pochettino, and our other defensive players for turning Tottenham’s defence from a leaky fence to a brick wall.

Striking Images

Last week was the first of what will apparently be many weeks where Tottenham take the field without talisman Harry Kane. On Saturday Tottenham didn’t appear to be too disheartened by the absence of their key goalscorer as the likes of Dele Alli and Heung Min Son provided the attacking impetus in his stead.

New signing Vincent Janssen was the immediate replacement for Kane, and the Dutchman will have loved scoring his first Spurs goal in last week’s league cup win. On Saturday, Janssen couldn’t find a breakthrough, but exhibited promising signs in his play, particularly in his crisp link up play with Heung Min Son for the opening goal.

Tottenham lined up with Christian Eriksen in his preferred Number 10 position on Saturday and the Dane has thrived in recent weeks. On Saturday as Tottenham expect the challenging visit of league-leaders Man City, expect Eriksen to keep his position in the playmaker slot, but numerous changes could occur around him. If fit, Moussa Dembele is a certainty to start in the centre of midfield, and either of Victor Wanyama or Eric Dier could partner him to provide the cover. Up front, I feel Pochettino may prefer the energy and guile of Heung Min Son as opposed to Vincent Janssen who may be introduced in the second half. On either side of Eriksen, I expect Erik Lamela and Moussa Sissoko to start the game, with Sissoko providing a direct, pacey threat and Lamela looking to improved his good form from previous meetings against Manchester City. This of course leaves Dele Alli as the odd one out, but the prodigious English talent could be the perfect weapon to spring from the bench to decide the game.

And… The Rest of the League

  • Fans of all Premier League title chasers aside from Man United sighed in disappointment, as it was announced that Wayne Rooney would be absent from the United team. The captain’s poor form had been a key contribution to United’s poor form, and his presence in the side meant that other threats remained on the bench. Unfortunately, in Rooney’s absence, United thrived and finished their three game losing streak. Does Mourinho leave out his skipper long term now?

  • Before the season, I must admit I expected Mourinho and Guardiola to be shocked by the tasks they faced this season, but I assumed the cool customer Antonio Conte would have fewer problems reviving a stifled Chelsea side. However, Conte’s last three results have been Lose-Lose-Draw, and if that trend continues, it won’t be long before Abramovich’s hand starts hovering over the red button.

  • Man City continued their perfect start to the season with their 6th win in as many games. Raheem Sterling has continued to thrive under Pep’s tutelage and Sergio Aguero has continued to be Sergio Aguero. If Tottenham’s watertight defence can shut down those two weapons this weekend, I feel that the creativity in our attacking quartet will be able to create chances against Otamendi and John Stones. Looking forward to a cracker next weekend!

End-Game: EPL Round-Up for Gameweek 4

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Well… that was a fun welcome back from the international week?

Tottenham Hotspur looked rejuvenated as they put Stoke City to the sword on Saturday. Heung Min Son, Dele Alli and Harry Kane all got in on the scoring action in the 4-nil rout, while Hugo Lloris returned to contribute to another sturdy defensive display against a potentially dangerous Stoke City side. So as we take a brief recess from football before a long-awaited Champions League tie Wednesday, let’s talk about some conclusions from the weekend’s action.

The Tottenham Report

Rising Son

Forgive me for the shameless self-promotion, but I knew our Korean wonder would come good. I picked Son of as one of my list of Spurs players ready to make a leap to the next level in the coming season, after a stop-start begin to his life at White Hart Lane. I must admit, I feared for my prediction when I saw big bids come in for the wide attacker towards the end of the window, but it appears that Pochettino and Levy share my belief that Son can still be a big factor in this Tottenham team.

Son’s preparation for the new season was somewhat hampered due to South Korea’s participation in the Olympic Games, however Son sent out a firm statement of intent last week regarding his determination to succeed at Tottenham, when he stepped back from international duty last week in order to gain some momentum at Spurs. Pochettino rewarded his sacrifice with a starting place on Saturday and Heung Min Son did everything he could to repay that faith.

Son represents a great weapon for the Tottenham attack as he provides aspects of the game that our other attacking midfielders don’t. While he may not have the guile of Eriksen or Lamela, Son provides dangerous pace, and an acute eye for goal. Son’s presence in the team put extra pressure on the Stoke team last week, taking attention from Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen, who thrived as a result. Enjoying ample possession throughout the game, Eriksen was able to tee Son up for two goals on his first start of the season – the first, a poacher’s finish from 10 yards, and the second, a curling beauty over the keeper into the top corner. Let’s hope to see more of the same from Son in the coming weeks.

Fresh Start

The international week is often seen as a curse at the beginning of a new campaign. Momentum is often lost, and the dreaded international injury is always on the cards. And yes, while Tottenham fans around the globe did wince as news landed that Danny Rose picked up an injury, it seems that for the most part, the international break provided a refreshing siesta for some of Tottenham’s stars.

After wrapping up a much maligned contract situation, Christian Eriksen continued a good week by scoring the winning goal for Denmark in the World Cup qualifiers. The Dane carried his stellar form back to England, as he excelled for Tottenham, looking like the Christian Eriksen of old, racking up two assists to cap off a classy display.

Harry Kane and Dele Alli were also involved in action during Big Sam’s England debut, however both players looked more energised this weekend than they have all season so far. Alli was a menacing presence throughout the match, causing problems for Stoke through the middle of midfield. He almost got his name on the scoresheet twice in the first half through two good chances, but eventually finished off a lethal counterattacking move in the second half to put Spurs three goals to the good. Harry Kane on the other hand opened his account for the new season, by notching his 50th goal in a mere 90 games… The One Season Wonder strikes again!

Nice Problems for Poch

A lot can change in two weeks in the world of football.

Facing into the end of the transfer window, there was a feeling among many Spurs fans that the squad was thin and light of options. Three new signings, almost two weeks of a break, and one big win have flipped that theory on its head, as Pochettino faces into his maiden Tottenham Champions League tie with a serious selection headache.

Erik Lamela’s good form in the early part of the season was rewarded with an international call-up to join up with Argentina’s all-star attacking cast. As Lamela would only be returning shortly before Saturday’s fixture, it was decided that Pochettino would rest his Argentinean dynamo, and it was assumed that new man Moussa Sissoko would show us all what he could do on the wing. However, it was Heung-Min Son who got the start and took the opportunity with both hands, while Moussa Sissoko was limited to a cameo appearance in the second half on his first day in White. With Lamela also impressing after his introduction, and Alli and Eriksen stealing the show, one wonders what way Pochettino will line-up against Monaco.

Add to this, the long-awaited return of powerhouse Moussa Dembele, and Tottenham’s best XI becomes anyone’s bet.

And… The Rest of the League

  • Pep Guardiola reaffirmed his position at the top of the list of José Mourinho’s least favourite people (Just ahead of Eva Carneiro), by continuing his dominance over José-managed sides. However, With Claudio Bravo looking shaky at best in the Manchester Derby, will Pep live to regret his ruthless dropping of Joe Hart?
  • Arsenal used up a major get-out-of-jail card on Saturday after somehow snatching a victory from the jaws of defeat against the Saints. The result was certainly referee-aided, and we Spurs fans must hope those two points aren’t important at the end of the year.
  • More of the same from Liverpool this week – a ruthless attacking display, peppered occasionally with hapless defending. Their butchering of Leicester does however put a better gloss on our recent draw against the Merseysiders – particularly to our defence which held strong against an impressive attack.

Agree with the conclusions? Let me know in the comments or via Twitter @ThinkSpurs.

Tottenham Hotspur Power Rankings

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There’s one thing that seems to appeal to us Sports fans – Lists. They’re so neat and definite. It’s as if seeing things in a ranked, ordered fashion is like seeing a jigsaw fit together.

So, as International week starves us of club action, I’ve decided to look at the Spurs panel, and with the early part of the season in mind, compile the first ‘Tottenham Hotspur Power Rankings’

The key concept of the Power Rankings will be the following question – How important is this player to Tottenham’s success?

The player’s quality over the past few years will of course be taken into account, but as this list is likely to change regularly, current form, and current team situation will also be prominent factors.

Last note: I’ll be using the 22 man squad currently listed on the official Tottenham Hotspur website, so that means young players like Harry Winks or Josh Onomah who are yet to get regular senior game time are excluded.

So, without further adieu…

  1. Toby Alderweireld
    Tottenham currently boast a wealth of talent in the first team, and while a handful of players could have a fair claim to the top spot in the power rankings, I think many fans would agree that Toby Alderweireld is the current ‘Most Valuable Player’.
    In the days pre-Toby, Tottenham floundered at the back as the likes of Federico Fazio or Younes Kaboul partnered the often disinterested Jan Vertonghen. The addition of the classy Belgian has since turned Spurs into one of the league’s meanest defences (fewest goals conceded in 2015/16). As Kane searches for his scoring touch, and Lloris and Dembele remain sidelined, Toby Alderweireld has been a leading light for Spurs this year as he continued last year’s stellar form by shutting down attacking threats of all types so far this season. As such, he tops the early season Tottenham Power Rankings.

  1. Moussa Dembele
    They say that absence makes the heart grow stronger, and this is certainly the case with Moussa Dembele. Dembele established himself as the heartbeat of the Tottenham team last year, dominating games from central midfield. With the dynamic midfielder currently serving a lengthy suspension, Tottenham appear like a ship without a rudder, urgently need of someone to provide direction.
    With Dembele at central midfield, Tottenham went on a lengthy unbeaten streak last term, and Tottenham’s late season collapse also coincided with the Belgian’s absence due to the start of his suspension. With the current side crying out for a player of Dembele’s ability in the opening games of 2016/17, you can expect to see Dembele high up this list for quite a while.

  1. Harry Kane
    While he may be trumped by Alderweireld and Dembele in terms of importance to the team at this very time of writing, there’s little doubt that Harry Kane is the face of this Tottenham team. The local lad who came out of nowhere to become a star within two years. The fact that he’s already a vice-captain speaks volumes about the respect he holds within the dressing room.
    However, as he is still struggling to find freshness after a whirlwind last 12 months, Kane finds himself at third position in the Power Rankings. The much needed addition of Vincent Janssen also means that a loss of Kane for game would not be the catastrophe it would have been last season, but his all-round game keeps him high up this list.

  1. Danny Rose
    Arguably the biggest beneficiary of the Pochettino regime has been winger-turned-fullback Danny Rose. Rose always possessed the tools and skills to be a productive player, but lacked the consistency and tactical awareness. Pochettino famously promised Rose in his first season, that if he listened to him, he would make him an English international. Fast forward and we see that Pochettino has made good on his promise, as Rose now finds himself as one of the league’s premier left backs.
    For Tottenham, Rose’s job goes far beyond defending. In a Tottenham team severely lacking pace, Rose’s ability to overlap at speed and provide pace has been a crucial part of the Spurs attack this season.

  1. Hugo Lloris
    Every Spurs fan knows the world class quality of Hugo Lloris, and he is another player who could lay claim to the Power Rankings top spot. Yet, in his absence due to a hamstring injury, fans have been reassured by the safe hands of Michel Vorm. Hugo remains the absolute number one, but having a safety net called ‘Michel Vorm’ in reserve can let Spurs fans rest a little easier.

  1. Erik Lamela
    After a very rocky start to his career in white, Lamela’s star has continued to rise in the last 12 months as he has reinvented his game under Mauricio Pochettino. Gone is the lightweight, inconsistent winger we saw in Year 1, and in his place is a super-fit, hard-working playmaker, who is the epitome of Pochettino’s high press philosophy.
    Many assumed Lamela would be the man to make way for Moussa Sissoko in the First XI, but I’ll be very surprised if Mauricio Pochettino decides to drop one of his on-field lieutenants.

  1. Eric Dier
    Another player reinvented under Poch is holding midfielder Eric Dier, who is now not only a key component of the Tottenham side, but one of the first names of the teamsheet for England. Dier’s work is not flashy, and rarely makes the headlines, but having a player of Dier’s quality minding the house is what allows flair players like Alli, Eriksen or Lamela the space and time to create.
    Dier finds himself at (the very respectable) 7th place in the Power Rankings, purely due to the addition of fellow protector Victor Wanyama who provides another option for Spurs at the base of midfield.

  1. Kyle Walker
    Much like Danny Rose, Walker has flourished in the past few seasons. Having seen off the challenge of Kieran Trippier at Tottenham, Walker’s impressive club form has also seen him force his way ahead of Nathaniel Clyne on the England charts in recent months.
    Much like Rose, Walker is essential in providing width and pace for the current Spurs team.

  1. Jan Vertonghen
    Having found life difficult with a range of sub-par defensive partners over the past few years, the steady presence of Toby Alderweireld has finally brought out the best in Jan Vertonghen.
    Much like his compatriot, Jan is a smooth tackler, a quick mover and an even quicker thinker. The Belgian duo were the EPL’s finest central defensive pairing last year, and this year’s showing has been a continuation of that good form. Keeping a consistent is key to most successful defences, so Jan’s position in the Power Rankings top 10 is justified.

  1. Christian Eriksen
    In the days before Pochettino or Harry Kane, Eriksen may well have been top of this list, with two or three empty spaces behind him to emphasise his importance. As Tottenham struggled to find their identity in the days of Tim Sherwood or AVB, it was often Eriksen who produced a moment of magic to save the day.
    However, in the current progressive Tottenham unit, as most of the team continue to move forward, Eriksen appears to be standing still. Contract negotiations may be affecting his focus, resulting in sub-standard performances this season. However, a winning goal for Denmark in last night’s World Cup qualifiers will hopefully reignite his confidence before he returns to the Lane.

  1. Dele Alli
    After going from child prodigy to International Golden Boy in the blink of an eye, I couldn’t blame Dele Alli for being tired. Alli looked like he had no fuel left in the tank during England’s European Championship campaign this summer, and he looked similarly jaded during Tottenham’s first league game this season – lacking that spark that sets him apart from the rest.
    Pochettino wisely rested Alli against Crystal Palace, and he looked more prominent in the Liverpool tie. Alli shone again after coming off the bench on international duty, so don’t be surprised if Alli gets the odd day off this campaign, as keeping him from burning out will be crucial to his continued development.

  1. Victor Wanyama
    Quickly becoming a fan favourite is new boy Victor Wanyama, who impressed with his powerful displays in his first three Tottenham outings. In a side without Moussa Dembele, the box-to-box midfield role was handed to Wanyama who productively popped up all over the pitch on his first three outings, including for a crucial winning goal versus Crystal Palace on Match Day 2.
    However, with Dembele’s comeback on the horizon, and with Eric Dier still the frontrunner in the holding midfield position, Wanyama may have to be content with a rotation role in the coming weeks.

  1. Michel Vorm
    With goalkeeper injuries being so rare, an injury to a keeper often causes panic within a camp. Tottenham are fortunate to have an understudy of Vorm’s quality in the ranks. Vorm was rock solid in his first two outings, and stole the show against Liverpool with some point blank saves. While Lloris remains the number 1, Vorm has pushed himself relatively high up the Power Rankings with his eye-catching displays.

  1. Vincent Janssen
    After crying out for an entire season, Spurs fans were finally rewarded with some Harry Kane back-up, and it has arrived in the form of Dutch hitman Vincent Janssen.
    Janssen ripped it up last year in the Eredivisie with a van-Nistelrooy-esque 27 goals, and while he has yet to hit the net in Tottenham colours, his all round play has inspired many promising reviews from the Tottenham faithful. Bought primarily as a back-up, the 22 year old has already forced Pochettino to consider other ideas, as Tottenham started with out-and-out strikers against Crystal Palace for the first time in the Pochettino era.

  1. Moussa Sissoko
    So where does the man of the hour fall in the Power Rankings? He is still very much an unknown commodity, as nobody seems to know what to expect from the powerful Frenchman, yet given the obvious faith the coaching staff must have in him (as the £30million price tag would suggest) he finds himself quite high up the Power Rankings.
    Coming off some impressive international performances, Sissoko will most likely make his full debut for Tottenham this weekend against Stoke, as Dembele remains suspended, and as Erik Lamela is expected to be rested following a late trip back from international duty. All eyes on Moussa, as a handful of promising displays could see him shoot up these ranks.

  1. Kevin Wimmer
    The young Austrian impressed last season in Jan Vertonghen’s absence last year, but finds himself stuck firmly behind the Belgian duo at the moment. Make no mistake though, if anything should happen to Jan or Toby, Wimmer would find himself becoming an integral player very suddenly, given the relative lack of depth at the centre back position.

  1. Ben Davies
    Davies comes in off the back of a promising European campaign with the Welsh. Davies has almost always delivered the goods when called upon for Tottenham, yet he is unfortunate to find himself behind the league’s in-form fullback in Danny Rose.
    However, as Tottenham’s schedule heats up between league, cup and European action, expect Davies to see significant game time.

  1. Heung-Min Son
    The South Korean attacker has shown glimpses of his ability at Tottenham, but is yet to find that patch of consistent good form. Most fans were glad to see Spurs turn down big bids for the winger late in the transfer window, as he provides important attacking depth, and as the season progresses, Son possesses the pace and goalscoring threat to become one of Spurs most important players. However, until he is given the requisite opportunity, he will remain in the back end of the Power Rankings.

  1. Kieran Trippier
    Much like Ben Davies, Kieran Trippier hasn’t put a foot wrong, but finds himself firmly as the number 2 in the depth chart at Right Back. Should hope to impress in some upcoming cup appearances.

  1. George Kevin N’Koudou
    The lightning quick winger could prove to be a lethal weapon for Tottenham’s attack, yet until we see the young Frenchman in action, he’ll be unable to shoot up the Power Rankings.

  1. Tom Carroll
    Having seen some of his teammates in similar positions, such as Nabil Bentaleb or Ryan Mason, leave the club over the summer, Tom Carroll must wonder if he has been left in limbo.
    The technically gifted centre midfielder has been a regular in Tottenham squads over the past 12 months, but the additions of Wanyama and Sissoko, and the emergence of Onomah and Winks have pushed him down the depth chart, and one wonders whether he will be given the chance to prove he has a future at White Hart Lane?

  1. Pau Lopez
    We have every reason to believe that the young Spaniard is a fine goalkeeping prospect, but the fact of the matter is, it would take a disaster or a miracle before we see him rise up the Power Rankings.

Agree with the Power Rankings? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading!

Where does Sissoko fit in at Tottenham?

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This morning I wrote a debrief on Tottenham’s Transfer Deadline Day dealings, but now that ‘Silly Season’ has passed, it’s time to talk about football.

We know that Tottenham’s £30million pound signing of Moussa Sissoko makes a significant statement of intent, but the more important impact, will be the one he makes between the white lines. So, what will Moussa Sissoko bring to Tottenham, and where will he fit in?

So who do we have here?

Most fans know Moussa Sissoko best from his time at Newcastle United, where he would regularly sandwich dazzling displays between two or three lacklustre performances. Often the best athlete on the pitch, Moussa often cut a frustrating figure as he produced performances well below of the level he is capable of. After witnessing a failure from the entire playing staff last season, the Newcastle fans would have been excited to see more of the real Moussa Sissoko in the coming year after he impressed for France in Euro 2016. Yet before he was Newcastle’s powerhouse, Moussa Sissoko was the pride of Toulouse FC in France.

Sissoko broke into the first team in 2007, aged just 18 years old at the time. A regular for French youth sides throughout his early years, Sissoko became a stalwart of the Toulouse side in the holding midfield position. His powerful stature along with his rangy, combative, athletic style of play led to inevitable comparisons to ex-France midfielder Patrick Vieira as Sissoko began to garner interest from around Europe. The emergence of Etienne Capoue (remember him?) in the defensive midfield role allowed Sissoko to assume his preferred box-to-box position in the side and his development continued to flourish. In 2010, who else but Tottenham Hotspur enquired about his services, but were rebuffed after a £12million bid was rejected. With Juventus, Bayern Munich and Man City also circling, Toulouse president Olivier Sadran announced that Sissoko would only leave for a fee in excess of €30million.

Sissoko remained in Toulouse until 2013, where Newcastle United picked him up after his contract expired in France. Hatem Ben Arfa, Davide Santon, Loic Remy, Remy Cabella, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa and Georginio Wijnaldum are just a handful of players who joined Newcastle United with stellar reputations, but failed to live up to expectations for a number of reasons while on Tyneside. Moussa Sissoko seems to have fallen into the same trap as he failed to propel his career much further during his time in the Sports Direct Arena. However, Sissoko did impress enough to force his way into a competitive French national team, and the powerful midfielder excelled in this year’s European Championship. Now just 27 years old, with some of his best years ahead, there is great hope that the positive club situation that now exists at Tottenham can allow Sissoko to fulfil his great potential.

Where will Sissoko fit in?

If Tottenham had been offered anywhere close to £20million for Moussa Dembele in the summer of 2014, most fans would have jumped with delight as they waved him out the door. Fast forward two years and the side looks hollow without his presence, and no Tottenham fan in their right mind would even entertain a bid of £30million for the Belgian midfield general. There’s a hope around now, that Pochettino can work the same sort of magic to reignite the career of Moussa Sissoko, a player with a similar skillset to Dembele’s. This of course means that having Sissoko as a like-for-like replacement for Dembele in the midfield is a very realistic possibility, but I believe that Pochettino will be more inclined to try and find a formula that incorporates both of the dynamic midfielders.

Offering sound technical ability, boundless energy and lethal pace, Sissoko presents a number of possibilities to Mauricio Pochettino. Let’s start by looking at the most likely scenario…

New Dimension

sissoko LU

We know that Pochettino favours the 4-2-3-1 formation which has served him well until now, but aside from our two rapid full-backs, the Tottenham attack is often found lacking in pace when set up like this. Just last weekend Pochettino bemoaned this, and pointed to Liverpool’s Sadio Mané as the type of weapon he would like to be able to turn to.

Enter: Sissoko

With the likes of Matuidi or Kante sitting back to mind the house, Sissoko was often given free roam to roam up and down the wings for France this summer, and did so to devastating effect at times. While he failed to get in on the scoring act, Sissoko’s powerful running applied massive pressure to opposition defences, which unlocked doors for the likes of Griezmann and Payet. Sissoko’s powerful, probing runs force teams into defending far further back in their own half than they’d like, creating much more space for playmakers to dictate.

With Tottenham so reliant on Christian Eriksen and Erik Lamela to pick holes in defences, having another weapon, like Sissoko’s athleticism from a wide position, creates a new dimension to the Tottenham attack.

The Direct Approach

When you have good players, football is a simple game, and I think Pochettino may feel that simplicity is the key in the coming weeks.

It’s highly probably that Vincent Janssen will be used as a backup for Harry Kane first and foremost, but after a promising showing with two up front last week, it’s likely that Pochettino may want to further examine this idea.

Line Up sissoko 2

Teams are often wary of playing a 4-4-2 in fear of being overrun at midfield. Yet, as Leicester City showed last season, 4-4-2 can be very effective if you have the right centre-mid partnership. A Leicester coach famously suggested recently that they had actually been playing three in midfield for all of last season: ‘Drinkwater in the middle and Kante either side.’

As of now, Tottenham boast one of the most powerful midfields in England. In Eric Dier and Victor Wanyama, Spurs have two of the most physically dominant holding midfielders in the league, while Moussa Dembele and Dele Alli (and potentially Sissoko) bring an unmatched motor to the box-to-box midfield position.

With a pairing of Dier and Dembele, like we saw so often last season, Spurs would be free to allow Sissoko to wreak havoc on the right wing, while either of Lamela or Eriksen orchestrated from the other side. This option would also give Tottenham the most fire-power, with both strikers on the pitch at once, causing nightmare for defences.

So, having illustrated the possible options that Sissoko allows us to explore, it’s also important that we don’t forget Tottenham’s other deadline day signing – George Kevin N’Koudou.

N’Koudou comes in as a bright young prospect, similar to Clinton N’Jie the year before, but where N’Jie was somewhat of a wide forward, N’Koudou is very much an out-and-out winger. Having been a key supplier for Belgian striker Michy Batshuayi at Marseille last season, Spurs could very well use N’Koudou’s pace and delivery ability in either of the positions outlined for Sissoko in the two line-up’s above.

So, as another transfer window bites the dust, I can’t wait to see this Tottenham side in action!

The Three Points of Tottenham’s Transfer Deadline Day

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And breath.

True to form, the Tottenham hierarchy provided another deadline day of emotional pinball for their loyal fans. The curious sales of the likes of Nacer Chadli and Ryan Mason meant Tottenham entered Deadline Day in need of reinforcements. After a links to the likes of Isco, Max Meyer and Morgan Schneiderlin came and went, eventually it became a scramble to seal the deals of long term targets George Kevin N’Koudou and Pau Lopes, while the day’s major drama surrounded Newcastle United powerhouse Moussa Sissoko, who seemed destined for Everton, only for Tottenham to hijack the move at the 11th hour. So, as we try to make sense of yesterday’s happenings, and evaluate where Tottenham now stand, I feel the best way to do this, is to look at it from three key points of view

  • Daniel Levy
  • Mauricio Pochettino
  • Moussa Sissoko

Let’s begin with the man who seems to orchestrate days like this…

Daniel Levy

I’ve spoken before of my admiration for how well Tottenham Hotspur is run as a club. Aside from the current crop of players being among the finest Spurs groups in years, Tottenham now boast a state-of-the-art training centre, one of the game’s brightest managerial prospects, a promising youth set-up and a new world class stadium is currently under construction. The strings are seemingly pulled by chairman Daniel Levy, the financial guru, who seems to make all of the above tick. Yet, in complete contrast to all of the above, Tottenham’s transfer strategy can often seem haphazard by comparison. Despite Levy’s reputation as a negotiation expert, Tottenham Hotspur have become synonymous with ridiculous transfer deadline days, and yesterday proved to be no different.

In so many years gone by, Tottenham have seen numerous Transfer Tragedies occur, where deals for key players such as Joao Moutinho seemed to be all but complete, only to fall through right at the end. In the last year of Harry Redknapp’s reign where Spurs were still in the title hunt at Christmas, January moves for Carlos Tevez and Gary Cahill were rumoured to be in the pipeline to push Spurs onto the next level, only for the over-the-hill duo of Louis Saha and Ryan Nelson to appear on deadline day. Last year, as Harry Kane struggled under the weight of Tottenham’s entire attack, a move for Saido Berahino eventually went up in smoke on deadline day Levy’s hard-ball tactics failed to sway the West Brom hierarchy.  This year threatened to re-tell the same story, as Tottenham seemed in dire need of squad depth having sold or loaned seven first team players. Moves for backup GK Pau Lopes and young prospect George Kevin N’Koudou eventually materialised after weeks of negotiation, but it was only at the last minute that Levy eventually caved in, and opened the wallet so Tottenham could bring in Moussa Sissoko for a club record £30 million.

Many fans were appalled by the figure, but the reality is, this is the new going rate. The same market the values Ryan Mason at £13million and the relatively untested Alex Pritchard at £8million, also values a fully fledged France international (on the back of a successful Euros) at £30million. On the negative side, the move does reek of desperation. Leaving so much essential transfer business to the last minute suggests poor planning, and results in Spurs being held over a barrel at the negotiation table. This is a business model that Tottenham should look to move away from. From the positive perspective however, it’s alleged that the move was eventually pushed through after an insistence from Mauricio Pochettino that this was a player he wanted. The fact the Daniel Levy put these demands ahead of his own financial acumen bodes very well for the club – we finally seem to have a Chairman and Coach who share the same ambitious vision for the club! Speaking of our Coach…

Mauricio Pochettino

As the sky seemed to be falling down around Tottenham fans on twitter yesterday as they frantically refreshed their timelines looking for a sliver of information regarding Isco or Moussa Sissoko, Mauricio Pochettino was happily kicking back on a beach in Spain with his partner – It’s not a bad life, this Premier League management role!

Many slated Pochettino for abandoning ship at such a crucial junction, but I actually took some relief from it. For our coach to be holidaying in Spain on Football’s most panic-stricken day, suggested to me a man with confidence – this man trusted Daniel Levy and co. to succeed in the boardroom while he was away, and more importantly, Pochettino trusts himself to successfully coach the Tottenham group presented to him… as he has done so far.

As it transpired, Pochettino apparently was called on, and was required to give the go-ahead for the late move for Sissoko. It’s unclear or not whether the likes of Chadli and Mason were sold because they weren’t part of Pochettino’s plans, or because the offered price was too good to turn down, but it was certain that Tottenham needed a squad boost on the window’s final day. Having spoken earlier this week about wanting to add a new dimension to Spurs play, with special reference to pacey Liverpool signing Sadio Mané, the move for Sissoko was logical, if overpriced, and Pochettino will most likely be excited about incorporating the powerful Frenchman into his side. However, despite my confidence, I want to highlight a possible dark timeline that Tottenham have hopefully avoided…

If Tottenham finished yesterday’s transfer window with 7 first teamers out, just Janssen and Wanyama in, and a healthy net profit, then Spurs would be facing an extremely difficult year ahead. The squad would have been stretched thin by European and domestic demands, and players would quite possibly have been wondering why Tottenham didn’t show some ambition by investing in the transfer window before their Champions League season? Tottenham would then face an extremely difficult task the following summer convincing Pochettino and other prized assets that Tottenham was the ambitious club we all currently think it is!

Thankfully, reinforcements did arrive, even if it was a little later than we’d like. Pochettino can now say with confidence that he is overseeing a better Tottenham squad than what he had in the season right before. Wanyama provides an upgrade on Mason in the centre midfield position, while George Kevin N’Koudou offers a much needed explosive option out wide. Vincent Janssen fills a much needed vacancy in the striker depth chart. But what about the man of the hour? Well…

Moussa Sissoko

If you’d told a Spurs fan back in 2012, that four years later Spurs will buy Moussa Sissoko from a relegated Newcastle side for the same price as Luka Modric was just sold for, they’d have escorted you towards the nearest medical professional to have your head examined.

Yet this is the transfer market in 2016.

Paul Pogba cost £90million. John Stones cost £47.5mil. Hulk cost £46.5million. Christian Benteke cost £27million. Dwight Gale cost £10million.

It all started when Andy Carroll cost £35million.

The transfer market is gone mad, and to worry about it is a fool’s game – There is nothing we can do about it. Shortly after the eye-watering transfer of Paul Pogba to Man United (who left Old Trafford for nothing four years previously) I wrote an article about the crazy world of Football Finance and had my article been a book, yesterday’s deadline day would have made a great second chapter.

Yesterday for the first time ever, but almost certainly not the last, over £1 billion was spent in football transfer fees over the course of the Summer Window. It’s a mind-blowing figure, but put’s Spurs pursuit of Moussa Sissoko into some perspective – Tottenham aren’t crazy, they are just a product of the world they live in!

My point is, as difficult as it may be, we should not get hung up on the numbers. Instead, let’s judge Moussa Sissoko as a player, and what he’ll bring to White Hart Lane.

Straight off the bat, Pochettino allegedly pushed home the deal for Sissoko, and it’s easy to see why. Pochettino favours a high intensity, energetic, pressing style of play. With Sissoko, Tottenham now boast one of the league’s most dominant athletes. Sissoko is a physically dominant player with an indefatigable engine and of course, bundles of pace.

Every Tottenham fan has noticed how blunt the team has looked in the opening weeks of the season, where Eriksen and Kane have been stifled, and scoring chances have been few and far between. A direct, pacey player like Sissoko offers Spurs an option to break through opposition lines and create new channels for attack. Defending against players of Sissoko’s abilities means opposition defences must lie further back in their own half, creating more space for the likes of Lamela and Eriksen to manufacture chances. Sissoko presents Tottenham with numerous possibilities.

Many point to Sissoko’s inconsistent displays at Newcastle as a black mark on his ledger, and while this is true, I think this underestimates the importance that Tottenham could have on him. With all due respect to Newcastle, we’ve seen countless promising players underperform on Tyneside in recent years (For example, Hatem Ben Arfa, who is after sealing a move to PSG following a promising year after leaving Newcastle). Sissoko showed a glimpse of his obvious ability during Euro 2016 when he excelled with better teammates for France and I believe that in Tottenham, a healthy combination of quality teammates, an intelligent manager and supportive fans will bring the best out of Tottenham’s record signing.

Come on You Spurs!

End Game: EPL Round-Up for Game Week 3

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Tottenham maintained their unbeaten start to the 2016/17 Premier League season, but only after the third frustrating display in three weeks. Up against a fired up Liverpool side looking to make amends for their week 2 loss against Burnley, Tottenham struggled to assert any dominance in White Hart Lane, and only sprung into life after going behind. So what lessons did we learn from EPL Game-week 3?

Tottenham Report

How to re-ignite Eriksen?

It all started with a rumour. Some week’s back, it was widely reported among the tabloids and the twitter-sphere that Christian Eriksen was chasing a monster new contract. The number £150k/week was mentioned and that represents a figure that would smash the current Tottenham wage structure, a potential problem I discussed in depth here.

This alleged demand caused many Spurs fans to question the worth of Eriksen. Is he really worth it?

In my own opinion, Eriksen is worth as much as we can give him (without financially crippling ourselves). Until the rise of Harry Kane, Erik Lamela and Dele Alli, it was almost always Christian Eriksen who dug us out of a hole, with skilful displays and often late winning goals. Eriksen is comfortably among the Premier League’s finest playmakers, and yet his displays so far this season have not been up to that usual standard. It’s only been a three game sample size, yet because of the alleged wage demands, many people are using his poor form as a stick to beat him with: ‘He doesn’t look like a 150k/week player!’

Positive news came yesterday, when fresh rumours announced that Eriksen was on course to sign a deal worth a far more team-friendly £80k/week. If this goes through, all he needs is a kick in his form on the pitch to become a fan-favourite once again. I offer one solution for this – A change in position.

 

Tottenham have been a far-cry from the defensive mess they were a few years back. With our pair of quality goalkeepers, two rapid fullbacks, one of the league’s finest centre back partnerships and competent holding midfielders, Tottenham’s defence was the envy of the league last season. This year so far, it’s been our play going forward that has caused concern, and to rectify this, I’d love to see Christian Eriksen slip back into a deep-lying playmaker position.

Tottenham’s last most successful team was built around the midfield lynchpin that is Luka Modric, who is now widely regarded as one of football’s greatest midfielders. Modric too arrived at Tottenham with the reputation of a light, skilful attacking midfielder, yet really only began to excel when pushed deeper into midfield and partnered by Sandro or Scott Parker.

I would love to see in the coming weeks a move for Eriksen one step back, to partner either Eric Dier or Victor Wanyama. With either of those two powerhouses on his side to mind the house, Eriksen would be free to get on as much ball as possible, and dictate the game from the centre circle. As we’ve seen in recent weeks, David Silva has thrived for Man City following his move to the centre midfield position, and I think a similar move for Eriksen could not only rejuvenate his play, but the Tottenham attack as a whole.

 

Importance of a Plan B

In a week where Tottenham again struggled offensively, and had no plan B, when our playmakers could not manufacture a breakthrough, the fact that Tottenham have a great plan B in the goalkeeper position paid massive dividends on Saturday.

With Hugo Lloris out for 3-4 weeks with a hamstring injury, Tottenham were forced to call upon no.2 keeper Michel Vorm. After impressing in the first two games of the season, Vorm excelled against Liverpool on Saturday. Quick off his line, and cool under pressure, Vorm saved Tottenham on countless occasions during a Man of The Match display. Tottenham are lucky to be able to call upon such a capable understudy, and should hope that no goalkeeper deprived teams come calling before the transfer window shuts on Wednesday! Also, hopefully Vorm’s display of the importance of depth in a squad inspires Levy and Pochettino into transfer action before the deadline closes.

 

An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind

One key difference between Tottenham’s dominant play last year and this year’s displays has been the absence of midfield general Moussa Dembele. Dembele was a man reborn last year, as he announced himself as the Premier box-to-box midfielder, and it’s no coincidence that Tottenham’s dramatic drop in form at the tail-end of last season coincided with his absence due to suspension. Pochettino himself joked yesterday that Tottenham ‘do not exist’ without Dembele, further emphasising how great a loss can be when a key player is out. It becomes even more frustrating when that player is out due to disciplinary problems. Dembele was handed an 8 game ban by the FA following an eye-gouge on Chelsea’s Diego Costa. As of this weekend, Tottenham may be about to enter the same ugly situation with another key player – Erik Lamela

 

The evidence looks quite damning for the Argentinean, and a ban similar to the one given to Dembele would be a disaster for a player who looked set to have a big season in white. For Tottenham too, Lamela’s absence would be a huge loss as he is a key contributor to Pochettino’s high-press all-action playing style.

 

And… the rest of the league:

  • Many Tottenham fans lamented Levy’s decision to shy away from a move for Sadio Mané before he eventually joined Liverpool this summer. Levy baulked at the £35million fee which seemed like a perfectly reasonable move at the time, but Mané’s dangerous, pacey display on Saturday made many Spurs fans think that maybe he would’ve been worth the price.
  • So, almost half a billion spent since Fergie left, and yet United again rely on an 18-year old academy product to save the day against Hull City! Credit to Rashford, he does seem like an exciting prospect, and I for one was hoping Spurs might benefit should Mourinho decide he was surplus to requirements at Old Trafford. Alas, that doesn’t seem to be the case, but as the year rolls on, one has to wonder how United will manage to juggle playing time for so many attacking players… someone is bound to get unhappy.
  • Ever since doing that cringe-worthy dance after going 1-0 up in the FA Cup final, things have gone downhill fast for Alan Pardew. After being overlooked for the England job in favour of Big Sam, Pardiola then saw key man Yannick Bolasie walk out the door. With Wilfired Zaha possibly about to follow, Pardew must now rely on Christian Benteke to find his scoring touch once again, to keep Pardew from becoming the first victim of the managerial chopping board in 2016.

 

Transfer Talk: Tottenham get Isco Fever

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In a week where Tottenham’s curious transfer activity has led to questions from fans following the departures of Nabil Bentaleb, DeAndre Yedlin and now possibly Nacer Chadli, and where Tottenham again struggled to break down opposition for the third week in a row, hopes were swiftly raised as Spurs were linked to Real Madrid star Isco Alarcón.
The talented playmaker has found himself out of favour at the Bernabeu, and a move to White Hart Lane may be a perfect situation for both parties. Two questions now remain: Is this more than just paper talk? And if so, can Daniel Levy push through a deal before Wednesday’s deadline…

Here’s a scenario: A young Tottenham team find their rhythm and end a successful season with long wanted Champions League qualification. As the new season approaches, the general consensus is that Tottenham need another injection of quality to cement their elite status. As a result, a move is made for an out of favour Real Madrid star. Now, the question, am I describing this season, or am I talking about the 2010-11 season where Spurs also found themselves preparing for a Champions League campaign?

Back in 2010, Tottenham bit the bullet, and sealed a deal on deadline day for Rafael van der Vaart. The Dutchman became a cult-hero overnight, on his way to scoring 15 goals from the attacking midfield position on his debut season. While the goals drew accolades, it was very much his passion and all-round play that made him a fan favourite. In terms of the team as a whole, the addition of a player of van der Vaart’s quality seemed to raise the performance and confidence of those around him, while it sent out a clear message to the opposition that Tottenham were a force to be reckoned with. Now in 2016, as Tottenham find themselves in a similar situation – a team in need of a spark – Isco represents the ideal solution.

What’s Isco’s story?

In 2011, Isco was picked up by newly-minted Malaga CF after starring for the Valencia B side. After a promising first season, Isco thrived in an attacking midfield role in year two as Manuel Pellegrini’s side contested the Champions League. Isco impressed as Malaga made their way to the Champions League Quarter Finals, and continued his good form for the Spain U21 side in European Championships. Isco starred alongside Bayern Munich’s Thiago as Spain waltzed to victory in the tournament. Inevitably, as tends to happen with Spanish prodigies that ply their trade outside of the Captial or Catalonia, Interest from either Barcelona or Real Madrid is never far away. Soon after, it was announced that the 21-year old playmaker would be joining Real Madrid for €30million.

Despite starting brightly (with a goal and an assist in his debut), problems for Isco arrived when coach Carlo Ancellotti decided to switch to a 4-3-3 formation, which accentuated the strengths of Gareth Bale, Luka Modric and Cristiano Ronaldo, but limited the impact of Isco – a natural number 10. Isco constantly provided numerous glimpses of his vast ability throughout his time in the Bernabeau, but as Madrid changed coach from Ancellotti, to Benitez and now Zidane, Isco has failed to carve out a niche for himself in the first XI. The additions in the past two years of fellow attacking midfielders James Rodriguez, Mateo Kovacic and recently Marco Asensio have made Isco’s task in Madrid even more difficult. This scenario is uncannily similar to that of van der Vaart, who was cast aside by Madrid, who had just invested in Mesut Ozil, Angel Di Maria and Sergio Canales in the summer of 2010.

What can Isco offer?

Very simple: X-Factor.

And I’m not talking about the Simon Cowell, sob story-filled TV Show, I mean legitimate difference making ability.

So many games are contested between even teams, but are eventually decided by a moment of magic by a single difference maker. This is what Man City bought when they brought in Kevin De Bruyne, or what Man United got when they brought in Zlatan Ibrahimovic. As much as we hate to admit it, it’s also what Mesut Ozil brings to Arsenal – The ability to provide moments that decide the outcome of a match. It’s football’s most valuable trait. How many times before, has it looked like Spurs were destined to drop points, only for Christian Eriksen, Dele Alli or Harry Kane to save the situation? Adding another matchwinner, who provides top tier talent, into the fold would push Tottenham on to the next level.

For the third week in a row, Tottenham looked bereft of pace, and as a result, rumours of a move for speedsters like Wilfried Zaha and George Kevin N’Koudou gathered pace, before the Isco link surfaced. While Isco himself could not be said to be a particularly pacey player, the amount of attention he would draw from opposition defences would create acres of space for Tottenham’s other players to cause havoc. Isco is a classical playmaker, directing the play of his team’s attack, and linking him up with players of similar football intelligence such as Kane or Eriksen would cause nightmares for defences. Isco is also a highly adept dribbler, and in 2013 Marca journalist Pablo Polo praised the young playmaker as Spain’s most exciting prospect, comparing his skill level and balance to that of Sergio Aguero. His vision and playmaking ability has also been compared to French legend Zinedine Zidane (by the man himself even!) – High praise indeed!

Can it happen?

Tottenham have had their hopes raised prior to Transfer Tragedies before, but with just about three days before the transfer window shuts, there is a suspicion that this move may have substance. After bringing in approximately £13million from the sale of Yedlin and Pritchard, and with Ryan Mason and Nacer Chadli now likely to leave for a combined £23million, it appears that Tottenham are saving up a lump sum, while also freeing up plenty of wage space. Isco is believed to be on a relatively modest £60k/week deal at Madrid. If a loan deal was to happen, no pay-rise would be necessary, but if a permanent move to Tottenham transpired, surely a pay-rise would be part of the package. Either way, his wages would fall nicely within the Tottenham business model – a refreshing change for a target of this calibre.

So, assuming Tottenham have the required funds, and Real Madrid could be convinced to do business, what about the man himself?

Isco needs to reignite a stagnant career. He is still young, but the spark he showed so early in his career is in danger of being snuffed out if he sits on the Bernabeu bench for much longer. There’s no doubt that Isco will still get some game time if he remains in Madrid, but whether he will ever successfully see off the challenge of Rodriguez, Asensio, Kovacic or whoever Madrid’s next Galactico is remains unlikely. Isco would do well to examine the case of Alvaro Morata, who found himself on the fringes of Madrid, before moving to Juventus. At Juve, he became an integral part of their success, and after two years, has pushed himself into the first XI of the Spanish national team. If Isco wishes to enjoy a similar rise, a move to Tottenham provides the perfect opportunity.

So, just as we’ve discussed the matchwinner Isco’s ability to provide decisive moments of magic, So too has Daniel Levy been able to provide crucial moments late in the transfer window. The question now: Can he provide one more?

(Last week Isco was one of six potential Late Summer Tottenham Transfer Targets I wrote about, see the rest here.)

The Curious Case of Tottenham’s Transfers

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In 2011, as Tottenham prepared for their last Champions League campaign, Spurs bolstered the side with the additions of the experienced William Gallas, the powerful Sandro Ranieri and the to-be cult hero Rafael van der Vaart. The same window saw none of the regular first team players leave the club. A similar strengthening of staff was expected this summer as Tottenham again prepare for Europe’s elite competition, yet at the moment more first team players seem to be going out the revolving door at White Hart Lane rather than coming in. So what’s going on in Tottenham’s transfer room this summer?

Let me start by saying this: I’m a big believer in the project Pochettino is overseeing here in Tottenham. His transformation of a previously ‘soft’ Tottenham side, filled with hangers-on like Paulinho and Adebayor into a more refined unit with a tougher core has been nothing short of excellent. His belief in the club’s young players has also been a huge part of this, and he deserves massive credit for the continued improvement in the likes of Harry Kane, Danny Rose and Eric Dier. And while I and many other fans share Pochettino’s faith in Tottenham’s youth products, there’s no doubt, that when four of Tottenham’s seven subs in a crunch tie against Liverpool three games into the season are Luke McGee (20), Harry Winks (20), Josh Onomah (19) and Cameron Carter-Vickers (18), that Tottenham currently have a severe lack of depth.

The Departed

With less than a week left in the transfer window, we’re now in peak ‘Silly Season’, so it’s ridiculous to read too much into what the newspaper gossip columns are saying, yet  while many fans would wish to be reading about potential names on their way into the club, there’s no doubt that there has been far more substance surrounding Tottenham’s outgoing transfer news. Last week saw Nabil Bentaleb and DeAndre Yedlin leave the club for Schalke 04 and Newcastle United respectively, while since then, Heung-Min Son, Ryan Mason and Kevin Wimmer have been linked with moves away from White Hart Lane.  Unless Tottenham are saving up their pennies for a mind-boggling Antoine Griezmann bid (Don’t get your hopes up), then I must admit I’m baffled by the goings on?

The move for Yedlin was expected, as he found himself firmly behind Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier on the depth chart. Yet the loss of Nabil Bentaleb (albeit on loan, for now) raised many eyebrows around the club, after he excelled in a central midfield role in Pochettino’s debut season. Even though I still believe the rumours to be nothing but paper-talk, it’s still unfortunate to see Heung-Min Son and Kevin Wimmer linked with moves away, as both players are still only finding their feet in London, and showed plenty of impressive moments in their debut campaign. The sale of players such as Son and Wimmer would be perfectly plausible for a mid-table side looking to consolidate their position while turning over a healthy net spend, but for an honours-chasing side like Tottenham, these players must be added to, not subtracted from!

Reinforcements

In all three games of the latest EPL season, Tottenham have struggled to find the spark. During the two draws against both Merseyside teams, Tottenham really only kicked into life after going one goal down, while the cagey win over Crystal Palace was a similarly frustrating affair as Tottenham only managed to break the deadlock right at the death. The side, which blew teams away with their high-energy approach last season, seem to lack the spark right now. Tottenham have been reliant on the pressing-game forcing other teams into mistakes, allowing clinical players such as Kane, Eriksen or Alli to pounce, yet this season, teams seem more prepared for a the drive of Harry Kane, or the guile of Eriksen or Alli. As Spurs try to break down stern Premier League defences and prepare to face a wider array of high quality opposition in the coming season, Tottenham urgently need a plan B.  Pochettino has suggested recently that he is still actively searching through the market for a late summer addition that might add that extra string to the Tottenham attack.

Earlier this week, many Tottenham fans grimaced, as it was announced that Crystal Palace had rejected a bid from Tottenham for English winger Wilfried Zaha, yet while Zaha may not be every fans dream signing, the intention is clear – Pochettino wants pace.
As a deal for French attacker George Kevin N’Koudou apparently remains in the pipeline, a second bid for Zaha is highly likely to be submitted in the coming days, assuming Pochettino still believes in the huge talent that the tricky young winger showed earlier in his career. If that bid fails, Spurs fans shouldn’t be surprised if bids follow for the likes of Saido Berahino, Jesus Navas or even Ivan Perisic.

Depth

Tottenham and Leicester City deserve huge credit for exploiting the lapses of Chelsea and Manchester United to propel themselves to the upper echelons of the Premier League table last season. However, both Chelsea and United; along with Man City and Liverpool, have significantly strengthened, meaning the race to the top will be even stiffer in this campaign. Add to this, the added bonus of a long-awaited, but physically-challenging Champions League campaign, and Tottenham’s need for depth this season becomes obvious. The much needed addition of Vincent Janssen gives us a much needed boost up front, while the purchase of Victor Wanyama has brought more steel to the midfield which is still currently without Powerhouse Moussa Dembele. Yet the general consensus is that these additions are just not enough, and one has to wonder whether Daniel Levy has another van-der-vaart-esque trick up his sleeve?

So, as Spurs dust themselves down and reflect on another week’s work, surely conclusion number one in Pochettino’s notebook must read ‘Reinforcements’ – Let’s hope Transfer Deadline week delivers.

The Ones Who Got Away: Tottenham’s Transfer Tragedies

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Every club has countless tales of highs and lows, but few can match Tottenham Hotspur in terms of Transfer Window drama. Many Tottenham fans have been subjected to more emotionally taxing transfer windows in the past 10 years than the average straight-thinking football fan should have in a lifetime. 

For every one great move for a Rafael van der Vaart or a Hugo Lloris, there are countless other potential deals that were dashed after hopes had been raised. Tottenham have seen more falls at the final hurdle than a wet day at Cheltenham, and with this year’s transfer window nearing its conclusion I want to use this article to have a quick look at some of the ones that got away…

Joao Moutinho

First linked to Spurs: 2012
Where is he now? AS Monaco

Minutes. That was the difference. Minutes

In the late hours of the Summer 2012 transfer window, Andre Villas-Boas wanted to stamp his own mark on the Tottenham team. With Luka Modric gone to Real Madrid, and van der Vaart moved on to Hamburg, Tottenham’s midfield was bereft of creativity and AVB turned to his countryman Joao Moutinho to provide the solution.

Spurs fans rightly mourned the loss of their two prestigious playmakers but Moutinho seemed the perfect candidate to replace them. Having excelled for Porto and Portugal in the same deep-lying playmaker role that Modric enjoyed in Tottenham, the then 25-year old seemed destined to prosper at White Hart Lane.

However, as is often the case with these tales, the transfer fee became the sticking point. Despite having raked in over £50million from the sales of Modric, van der Vaart and Niko Krancjar among others, Daniel Levy refused to pay over the odds for the Portuguese maestro. In the end, Levy’s hard-nosed negotiations seemed to be a stroke of genius as Sky Sports announced that a £22million fee had been agreed just before the transfer deadline shut. Unfortunately, all the haggling meant there was insufficient time left to push through the mandatory paperwork, and the hopes of completing the Moutinho move vanished. Hopes of a deal at a later stage were dashed in May the following year, when AS Monaco splashed out €70million to Porto for a double deal including Joao Moutinho and his teammate James Rodriguez.

Tottenham have since rebuilt and the current midfield looks as healthy as it’s been in a decade, but what about Moutinho himself? His club career at Monaco has been modest at best, where they are perennial second-fiddle to PSG in Ligue Un. On the international stage though, Moutinho was an essential cog in the Portugal team that achieved EURO glory in the 2016  European championship.

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar

First linked: 2008
Where is he now? Schalke

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is probably a name many Tottenham fans relate to even more than a some of the strikers who have actually played for the club.

In 2008, KJH was the latest shiney new striker to come out of the Ajax system. After being the leading scorer in the Euro u21 Championship in 2006, and leading the scoring charts in the Eredivisie in 2006 and 2008, comparisons the the likes of Ruud van Nistelrooy, and links to big clubs inevitably followed.

Tottenham were one of many clubs said to be interested, and fans were excited at the prospect of seeing the young Dutchman link up with fellow new signing Roman Pavluychenko. Alas, In Decemeber 2008, Spanish giants Real Madrid agreed a deal of €20million to take Huntelaar to the Bernabeu. However, Huntelaar’s time at Madrid wasn’t as successful as either party had hoped. In the following summer, after just half a season, rumour of a move surfaced, and Tottenham again were linked to the striker. As the likes of Man United cooled their interest, it seemed a move to Tottenham was imminent, until AC Milan swooped at the last second to sign the striker in August 2009.

Just a year later, KJH packed his bags again, and moved on to Schalke in Germany, where he finally seemed to settle. Between 2010 and 2014, The Dutchman hit 91 goals in 139 games, and as Spurs hierarchy began to lose faith in Roberto Soldado, the link Tottenham Hotspur surfaced once more. In summer 2014, Spurs were chasing fellow dutchman Michel Vorm when the KJH rumour was heard. At that point, Vorm was expected to arrive on loan, while KJH was supposed to finally seal a transfer to White Hart Lane. While this particular double deal never materialised in the end, it did give rise to one of the best transfer headlines of that year:

“Vorm is temporary, Klaas is permanent”

Romelu Lukaku

First linked: 2010
Where is he now? Everton

Rewind back six years to the Summer of 2010. Spain had just won the World Cup, Harry Redknapp was a genius, and Spurs apparently had a bid rejected for a Belgian wonderkid called Romelu Lukaku.

Then only 17, Lukaku was attracting admiring glances from all over Europe for his impressive displays for Anderlecht. Despite being little more than a kid, on the pitch Lukaku was already making full grown men look small. At 6’3 and almost 90kg, Lukaku looked more like an NFL Linebacker than a 17 year old striker. Add in the fact he had just hit 15 goals in 33 games in the Belgian league and we suddenly seemed to be looking at a younger clone of Didier Drogba. Anderlecht rejected advances from some of Europe’s elite for two further years, as the player was content to grow in his home country.

In April 2011, it was alleged that Spurs had jumped to the front of the queue to sign the Belgian starlet, only for Chelsea to hijack the move when the window opened, signing the striker for a reported £18million.

Despite hitting 17 goals in 35 Premier League games while on loan at West Brom in 2013, or netting 15 in 31 for Everton the following year, Lukaku failed to convince Chelsea manager José Mourinho that he could lead the line at Stamford Bridge. As a result, Lukaku was allowed to leave the club. Despite fresh links to a move to Tottenham at this point, Lukaku instead returned to Everton, where he had become a fan-favourite the previous season.

At just 23 years old, Lukaku has scored an incredible 119 goals in his 278 professional games. With 60 of those goals coming in his 149 Premier League appearances, he can now legitimately be considered not just a hot prospect, but one of the finest strikers in football. Now believed to have a pricetag of £60million, he appears to be well outside Tottenham’s budget. I’m sure there are many scouts at Tottenham who wonder what could have been.

Eden Hazard

First linked: 2012
Where is he now? Chelsea

“Maybe I’ll go to Tottenham, it’s a great English club. I said I would go to England.”
– Eden Hazard, February 2012

Early 2012 was a great time to be a Spurs fan. Gareth Bale and Luka Modric had grown into bonafide superstars, a new cult hero had arrived in Rafa van der Vaart and Harry Redknapp was orchestrating an unlikely title push. Tottenham’s bright young team looked set to be a Champions League participant the following season, and as a result, became a very attractive destination for Europe’s hot prospects. Yes, in February 2012, things seemed rosey in White Hart Lane, but, as is often the case, Chelsea came along to ruin everything.

Harry Redknapp’s flirtation with the vacant England job caused Tottenham’s momentum to stumble in the second half of the season. Yet as the season drew to a close, Tottenham cemented their place in the top 4, at the expense of a Chelsea team that had floundered in the league under Andre Villas Boas. Tottenham’s recruitment department were already looking into upgrading the squad ahead of the upcoming Champions League campaign by chasing down a deal for ‘The Belgian Messi’ Eden Hazard. Hazard himself had attracted interest from the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid, but Hazard wanted first team football assured, and felt a Premier League side, who would play in the Champions League, was the logical next step in his development, before an inevitable move to one of the Spanish heavyweights. His father added more weight to this theory with the following quote:

“Yes, there is interest from Spurs, and no, there’s no offer. The priority for Eden is one thing: games. Opportunities. It might be better to join a club just below the biggest.” 

While this could be viewed as an insult to Spurs, very few at Tottenham cared. They were getting one of Europe’s brightest prospects, and even if he did leave for sunnier shores in 3 or 4 years, it would only be for a very hefty price-tag.

And then Chelsea won the Champions League.

It will never fail to amaze me how it happened. Villas Boas got the chop after he lost the dressing room, and the side were trailing 3-1 to Napoli in the Champions League round of 16. Through a bizarre twist of fate, they somehow made their way to the final, where a late Didier Drogba equaliser in normal time, and a missed Arjen Robben penalty in extra-time handed them the most unlikely of victories. The downside? Only 4 Premier League teams could be allowed contest the following years competition, and with the winners entitled to automatic re-entry, that meant 4th placed Tottenham Hotspur lost out.

Once Champions League aspirations vanished, Hazard’s interest in a move to the Lane evaporated. As if to rub salt in Tottenham’s wounds, who else but Chelsea then waltzed in to pick-up the Belgian winger instead.

Four years on, Hazard is Chelsea’s centrepiece, having been Premier League player of the year in 2014. It’s hard not to wonder what could have been, had Arjen Robben been more accurate from the penalty spot in May of 2012…

Leandro Damiao

First linked: Shortly after the Big Bang
Where is he now? ???

*WARNING: Fight Club Spoilers ahead*

You really didn’t think I’d write a whole article on Tottenham’s most tragic transfer tales and not mention Leandro Damiao did you?

In the Brad Pitt/Ed Norton classic film that is ‘Fight Club’, the main character is in turmoil. His one dimensional life is missing something.

The answer to all his problems arrives when he meets the maverick that is: Tyler Durden.

Super cool, uber-confident, care-free. Durden is the epitome of everything the main protagonist is looking for. The twist? Tyler Durden doesn’t exist. He’s merely a fantasized figment of his imagination, based on everything he wants to be.

My theory? Leandro Damiao is Tottenham Hotspur’s Tyler Durden. Does he even really exist?

United had Rooney. Chelsea had Drogba. Arsenal had RVP. Even Liverpool went from Fernando Torres to Luis Suarez and yet try as they might, Tottenham Hotspur just could not find that elusive star striker. Every great club had to have one, yet despite countless moves for strikers from Roman Pavluychenko and Darren Bent to Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch, Tottenham just couldn’t find that one 20-goal a season guy, whose name all fans would want on the back of their jersey. Enter: Leandro Damiao

In 2011, Damiao shot to prominence after hitting 14 goals in 28 games for Internacional in Brazil. 6’2, lean and strong, fast and fit, and with a neat eye for goal – he was perfect! Hype grew further after Damiao earned his first Brazil call-up in March of that year. In June 2011, Tottenham were said to have an £11million bid rejected for the striker, yet during that summer, it was said that his next move was to be to either Tottenham or Inter Milan. As it conspired, no move for Damiao materialised from either European club, and he continued to ply his trade in Brazil.

Even as Tottenham changed managers in 2012, new Head coach Andre Villas Boas was still said to be keen on the Brazilian hitman, and a move was said to be in the pipeline for that entire summer as Tottenham desperately chased a striker. Instead, a move for Emmanuel Adebayor was clinched instead, and the mythical Brazilian stayed at Internacional.

As the experiments with the likes of Adebayor and Roberto Soldado were trialed and failed, Leandro Damiao was constantly linked to a move to White Hart Lane during Andre Villas Boas tenure as manager.

Then, in 2014, a tall mobile number 9 with a shrewd eye for goal finally did appear on the same – His name though was not Leandro Damiao, and instead it was Harry Kane who was leading the line at Tottenham Hotspur.

Since that time, Kane has gone from strength to strength and has just come off his second straight +20 goal season. Damiao meanwhile has faded out of relevance. His last appearance for the Brazilian national side was back in 2013, and now at 27, he finds himself on loan at Flamengo, a distant thought from the White Hart Lane faithful.

For a further (fictional) look into what has happened Leandro Damiao since, I highly recommend this excellent piece from the Cartilage Free Captain Tottenham blog titled ‘The Cautionary Tale of Leandro Damiao‘

I hope you enjoyed reading! Thanks – @ThinkSpurs

 

Transfer Talk: Munir to Tottenham?

The Bunsen Baller Transfer Central , , , , , ,

As Tottenham approach Gameweek 3 of the new Premier League season, the Lilywhites have found it difficult to breakdown opposition in the two games so far. With Mauricio Pochettino stating last week that he was still in the market for reinforcements, news broke today that Tottenham are hot on the trail of Barcelona starlet Munir El Haddadi. So, what would Munir bring to White Hart Lane?

Prodigy

Munir joined the famed ‘La Masia’ Barcelona academy in 2011 after a brief stint at Atletico Madrid. He first shot to prominence after starring for Barcelona U19s in the UEFA Youth League in the 2013-14 season. The Spaniard racked up 11 goals in 10 games throughout the tournament, including a two goal haul against Benfica in the final. Over the next year he broke onto not just the Barcelona B side, but also the senior Barcelona team, making occasional appearances alongside Lionel Messi et al.

However, Munir is now 20 years old. His senior career is still in its infancy, yet with the All-star trio of Messi, Suarez and Neymar still firmly ahead of him in the pecking order, Munir; and his agent, have most likely come to the conclusion that regular first team football is most likely to arrive away from Camp Nou for the near future. An ambitious club like Tottenham Hotspur, currently on the rise, represents the ideal opportunity.

Skillset 

So, assuming the rumours are true, and both Tottenham and Barcelona are currently in negotiations regarding the future of the young attacker, what will Munir bring to the table at White Hart Lane? Well, straight off the bat, you can already expect a player with remarkable technical ability, when you consider that he was part of the famous La Masia academy since 2011. When Barcelona won the Champions League in emphatic fashion in 2011, no less than 7 of the 11 starting players that day were La Masia graduates – that should tell you all you need to know about that incredible youth set-up.

There’s a phrase I like: ‘You’re the average of the people you spend most time with’. This idiom doesn’t mean that if you consider you and all you’re friends and colleagues, that you’re the middle of the road. Not great but not the worst. It simply means that we are all like a sponge, and we can’t help but adapt some of the traits and characteristics of those we spend most time with. Well, luckily for Munir El Haddadi, he spends his time in very esteemed company. Messi, Neymar and Suarez combined for a mind-boggling 131 goals last season. For a young attacker to see these three maestros in action day-to-day in training is a gift most young strikers would kill for. It’s no coincidence that when Munir is on the pitch, he seems to share the sort of creative instincts and football intelligence that the MSN trio often exhibit. The next thing you notice about Munir is that the similarities to his teammate Neymar don’t just stop at appearance. Like the Brazilian star, Munir is a lightweight, super-quick wide attacker, who loves taking on players and has a keen eye for goal. Munir has netted four times for the Barcelona senior side since 2014 in 28 appearances, with many of those coming from the bench. His goalscoring threat is even more encouraging when you look at his form with the Spanish u21 side, where he has netted 5 goals in his 11 appearances. If I was to compare his style of play to someone closer to the PL, it would be another young brazilian – Phillipe Coutinho.

Aside from the rapid full-back pairing of Danny Rose and Kyle Walker, the current Tottenham side is often found lacking in pace. The likes of Erik Lamela and Christian Eriksen are among the finest playmakers in the league, but neither is a classic wide attacker in the mould of Munir. The addition of a player with Munir’s skillset and high potential could add a different dimension to the Tottenham attack.

Tricky Business

Many might wonder why Barcelona would let such a prodigious talent go, especially at the relatively tiny price of €15million which has been mentioned in the news. Munir himself recently committed his future to Barcelona in a deal that included a €60million buy-out clause. The key to all this business is of course, a buy-back clause.

Barcelona are fully aware that Munir may well be a future star at the Nou Camp, but they are also aware that he won’t be happy to wait patiently on the bench until Messi, Suarez and Neymar are tired of scoring +100 goals a year. The ideal option to Barcelona, is to farm him out to a club for a year or two, before reeling him back in as a more developed player, then ready to contribute in Catalonia. Basically – if Munir was to arrive at Tottenham, it would be a glorified loan deal. Just this summer, Barcelona activated a buy-back clause for another academy product, when they returned Denis Suarez to the club after a spell at Roma. In a more high profile case, Real Madrid exercised the same move, bringing Alvaro Morata back to the Bernabeu after a successful spell in Juventus. At this very moment, there are already two well known Barcelona players in this exact scenario too – Gerard Deulofeu at Everton and former Tottenham target Alen Halilovic at Hamburg. Both may well eventually return to Barcelona, should they impress during their time away.

According to reports, this is where the Munir to Tottenham move is currently stuck. Having seen the likes of Luka Modric and Gareth Bale rise to superstardom at Tottenham, Barcelona and the player himself are apparently happy to move to White Hart Lane to take the next step in this promising career. However, Daniel Levy and co. are less enthusiastic about overseeing Munir’s development into a star, before seeing him leave for a nominal fee down the line.

In my opinion, I think this move is a no-brainer. With the Premier League tighter than ever, worrying about what may or may not happen in 2-3 years time is a fool’s game. If Tottenham can get their hands on a player of Munir’s calibre now, they should jump at the chance. Players of this quality don’t arrive on the market everyday!

What do you think of the Munir situation? Let me know in the comments. Thanks for reading!