If you ask Tottenham fans in the Football Transfer Tavern how many marks they’d give Spurs’ summer transfer business out of 10 so far, they’d answer 6/10.
Having completed the signings of Kieran Trippier, Kevin Wimmer and Toby Alderweireld, it appears Spurs’ recruitment drive is off to a good start with the defence having been significantly reinforced but what Tottenham fans still crave is another top central midfielder, not to mention a striker.
As we know, there is an onus and certain level of expectation at White Hart Lane for Tottenham teams to play an exciting and expansive brand of football and in truth, Mauricio Pochettino’s team looked sluggish and lethargic on too many occasions last term.
With Harry Kane undoubtedly the new talisman in North London following the example of Gareth Bale before him, Tottenham supporters want more of their players to take responsibility next season and after all, they’ll need to with competition for a top four place now more competitive than ever.
In the weeks that remain of the transfer window, you’d imagine Emmanuel Adebayor will be lovingly reunited with Tim Sherwood at Aston Villa so with Roberto Soldado potentially staying, it’s a striker Spurs fans want next with the club missing out on Christian Benteke of course.
As Pochettino steps up his hunt, we’ve taken this moment to devise what we believe to be Totteham’s strongest starting eleven for the season ahead.
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Click on the image below to reveal what we believe to be Tottenham’s strongest XI for this season.
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Hugo Lloris
Tottenham fans now know they could face the start of the season without their prized asset of a goalkeeper Hugo Lloris not because he’s secured a transfer away but rather that he’s unfortunately fractured his wrist in pre-season.
While this is not a total disaster with Michel Vorm capable of stepping into the fold, Tottenham are that much more improved with the French international between the sticks.
At one stage this summer, it had looked as if Manchester United would be making a play for Lloris’ services amid a potential departure for David De Gea but with the Spaniard now reportedly staying, Tottenham fans are breathing more easier.
Kieran Trippier
One third of Tottenham’s completed transfer business so far this summer, Kieran Trippier looks a sensible addition for Spurs but what Kyle Walker will make of it remains another matter.
Spurs already boasted Walker, Eric Dier and DeAndre Yedlin as options at right back but the feeling is that after his noteworthy performances for relegated Burnley last season, Trippier always looked someone who was capable of playing for a superior outfit.
A modern breed of a full back in regards to fulfilling the attacking side of the role as well as the defensive duties, Trippier is pacey and a threat from set-piece situations.
Toby Alderweireld
It seems there is a growing Belgian influence at White Hart Lane with new signing Toby Alderweireld representing the fourth player of that origin to play for Spurs while following Nacer Chadli, Mousa Dembele and Jan Vertonghen to North London.
Defeating Southampton to his permanent signing of course, Alderweireld will give Mauricio Pochettino even further strength in a competitive looking defensive area that also includes Federico Fazio, Eric Dier, Kevin Wimmer and Vlad Chiriches.
His versatility is also key with Alderweireld also capable of playing at right back, left back and even in defensive midfield.
Jan Vertonghen
He’s definitely enjoyed better seasons in a Tottenham shirt than he did last season but ‘Super Jan’ as they refer to him at White Hart Lane is still considered to be one of Spurs’ most important players.
A leader who is not shy of a tackle, Vertonghen could’ve joined Spurs’ arch-rivals Arsenal a little while back and the fact he chose Tottenham over their foes endears him to the home crowd each and every time he pulls on the Lilywhite jersey.
Now able to join Alderweireld at centre back of course, this recreation of the national team partnership can only be good in terms of morale with the players knowing each other well.
Danny Rose
Not fancied by all Spurs supporters, Jan Vertonghen could’ve taken the left back slot in this eleven with Federico Fazio moving in at centre half but we’ve included Danny Rose due to the pace he possesses up the left flank.
As mentioned at the outset, Tottenham look to play an expansive brand of football and with Kieran Trippier now signed on the right flank, both he and Rose could represent a dangerous attacking threat from deep.
We saw a couple of seasons ago under Harry Redknapp how good Kyle Walker and Benoit Assou-Ekotto were in attacking from full back and Danny Rose will look to emulate the form of those two in those seasons this term.
Ryan Mason
Ryan Mason enjoyed a fantastic breakthrough season last term after initially sparking his emergence with a Capital One Cup goal against Nottingham Forest that completed a comeback earlier on in the competition.
On the books of Spurs for a long time now, it looked as if Mason was never going to make it until that night against Forest in which the player really got the bit between his teeth while not looking back since.
Achieving an England call-up and a debut against Italy to boot, it was some 2014/15 campaign for Mason who represented a dynamic and energetic presence in the Spurs midfield.
While Tottenham fans love to see homegrown talent like Mason emerge from the academy, this doesn’t stop them pining for an additional midfielder this summer and some Spurs fans are lamenting the decision not to go in for the physical presence that is Steven N’Zonzi with the Frenchman trading Stoke City for Sevilla for just £7 million.
Nabil Bentaleb
Another who splits opinions like Danny Rose, most Tottenham supporters were delighted to see Nabil Bentaleb pen a new deal with Spurs earlier this summer.
The Algerian international was given his big break by Tim Sherwood and has been a fixture in the first team ever since with his domineering presence proving impressive.
Tall, athletic and capable of getting better, Bentaleb compliments Ryan Mason well and takes one of the defensive midfield slots here.
Under threat from any potential new signing in central midfield, Bentaleb retains his place for the time being.
Erik Lamela
Tottenham fans know there is a player in there somewhere; they’d just like to see Erik Lamela prove himself on more of a consistent basis.
Almost as a detriment to the player, after his famous rabona goal in the Europa League, Tottenham fans have been crying out for their Argentine import to turn on the style more frequently but it’s been a war of attrition in regards to Lamela fully getting used to the rigours of English football.
Bought in for £30 million, Lamela seems to be one of those players suffering under the weight of a big fee but now in his third season with Spurs, he can no longer afford to be a passenger but perhaps with these experiences now under his belt, it’s his time to shine?
Christian Eriksen
The best Tottenham reinvestment following the sale of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid, Christian Eriksen took on some talismanic duties for Spurs last season.
Earning a reputation for scoring important late goals, Eriksen is one of those players who has indeed lived up to the billing since arriving at White Hart Lane.
A deadly customer from set-piece situations to boot, Mauricio Pochettino needs more signings of this ilk in order to aggressively chase after a place in the top four this season.
Nacer Chadli
Another who started rather slowly at White Hart Lane but based on the evidence of last season, Nacer Chadli’s performances are starting to come to the boil rather nicely.
Receiving a lot of stick in his first season at White Hart Lane following a lack of impact following the Gareth Bale sale, replacing the Welshman was never going to be an easy proposition.
That said, credit needs to go to Chadli whose performances improved last season with his best moment undoubtedly coming at Emirates Stadium to arch-rivals Arsenal in a North London Derby that ended up 1-1
Harry Kane
Tottenham fans’ new found idol, you could never have predicted that Harry Kane would striker 36 goals in all competitions for Spurs last season.
Even starting last season behind Emmanuel Adebayor and Roberto Soldado, Kane still found time to down all of those goals while becoming the darling of the White Hart Lane faithful in the process.
The ‘he’s one of our own’ chants tell you all you need to know about how proud Tottenham supporters are to see one of their homegrown lads make it in the first team but the onus will be on the England international to sustain such form and prove to everybody that he wasn’t a so-called one season wonder.
