EPL Report Cards: Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur have been a true title challenger this season, despite missing out barely on the league title a year ago. In the last three seasons, Tottenham have moved up the standings, going from sixth to third in that span. Under Mauricio Pochettino, they are flying at the moment, winning seven matches in-a-row, including six in league play.
They are seven points behind league-leaders Chelsea, but are tied with Liverpool with the fewest defeats in the league (2). 43 goals scored is good for the fourth-most in the EPL, while 14 goals conceded is the fewest allowed in the league. Defense has been their strength, even with both starting center-backs missing time due to injuries. Six draws may be the only blemish keeping them from the top-spot, but Tottenham definitely look like a scary side at the moment.
Being eliminated following the UEFA Champions League group-stage was tough, but Spurs have a legitimate case to win the Europa League now in their sixth consecutive year in the competition. To keep any pressure on Chelsea at the top, Spurs just have to keep playing the way that got them to second spot.
Best Player: Harry Kane
A huge reason for Tottenham’s success is the scoring ability of Harry Kane. The 23 year-old has tallied 13 goals in the Premier League this season, after back-to-back campaigns of 25 and 21 respectively. Coming off a hat-trick on Saturday vs. West Brom, Kane has the ability to score in a variety of ways. He is good in the air, and possesses the threat of scoring with either foot. Without him earlier in the season, Tottenham had to look for other ways of scoring which made it tough. With him in the line-up, Tottenham always have a strong chance of winning.
Biggest Surprise: Vincent Janssen
After joining Tottenham from AZ Alkmaar in the summer, a lot was expected from Janssen to be a nice supporting forward to Kane. One league goal in 15 appearances this season, has proved Janssen hasn’t lived up to expectations yet. The 22 year-old netted 30 goals in all comps with Alkmaar last year, but has found the Premier League a whole new animal so far. Maybe with upcoming Europa League and F.A. Cup fixtures, Janssen could see more playing time but will need to make more of an impact. With Kane in great form right now too, it will be tough for the Dutch international.
Best Result of 2016/17: 2–0 win over Chelsea.
Spurs have had a handful of good results this season, but a win over London rivals Chelsea earlier this month was huge. They snapped Chelsea’s 13-match winning streak in the league, and proved that they are truly a title contender. A brace of Dele Alli headers were all the hosts needed to defeat Chelsea at White Hart Lane. They showed that Chelsea are beatable, and were able to frustrate one of the top attacking sides in the league from the opening whistle.
Player Needs to Be Replaced during Transfer Window: None.
With how strong Tottenham are this season, I don’t see any players that need to be replaced. Another consistent forward would help in case Kane starts facing fitness issues or needs a rest. Hugo Lloris has been one of the top keepers this season, with Michel Vorm a capable back-up. Defensively, Toby Alderweireld, Kevin Wimmer, and Eric Dier can all rotate at CB’s with Jan Vertonghen’s latest injury. Kyle Walker and Danny Rose have been outstanding on the wings, both in attacks and defense. Victor Wanyama and Moussa Dembele can start as defensive midfielders, with Dier also seeing time when not at CB. Alli, Christian Eriksen, Moussa Sissoko, and Son Hueng-min are a strong supporting cast underneath Kane.
Second Half Outlook: Continue Strong Defense, Attacking on all fronts.
For Tottenham to capture the Premier League crown, they will need to continue to win. They cannot afford to lose matches, especially in successive fashion. They travel to Manchester City this weekend which is a huge top-five clash. Following that, Spurs travel to Liverpool on February 11th before their Europa League Round of 32 matches against KAA Gent. March sees Spurs welcome Everton and Southampton which could be sneaky fixtures. The toughest weeks will come at the end of April, when Spurs travel to Leicester before hosting Arsenal in a North London Derby. Hosting Manchester United on May 13th will be tough, but could be a celebration if they play their cards right.
Predicted Finish: 2nd
Overall, I see Spurs just missing out on the title by a few points. Despite beating Chelsea a few weeks ago, they still have some tough matches left. With Europa League and F.A. Cup fixtures also approaching, Tottenham will have to make sure to use their players wisely. Any injuries or bad results could unwind their campaign, and with how close the top six are in points, teams could fall down or jump up just with one result. Tottenham have a lot of youth and energy which is a positive and will be huge for their future. Players like Harry Kane, Dele Alli, and Christian Eriksen will all get better if they continue playing and gelling together. If they miss out on the title this year, pencil them in as a favorite for 2017–18.
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