Four years ago, a controversial Mario Balotelli goal derailed Spurs’ momentum. Last weekend, they banished those memories and are marching on. I was holding back on this column until they beat Manchester City. Their victory at the Etihad Stadiumlast weekend required a bit of luck, but they were very much a Mauricio Pochettino side -- organized, committed and hungry.
In a season where everyone has been discussing the decline of Chelsea and Man United as well as the upstart behavior of Leicester City, Tottenham has quietly gone about its business. Man City have been inconsistent at the back, Arsenal’s defense has been susceptible and there is always a question of when the pressure would actually get to Leicester.
Contrast that to Spurs, who have scored 47 goals, the second most in the league behind City and Leicester and are tied for the fewest defeats in the league. Tottenham is a difficult team to beat and even harder to stop.
In the transfer window, they strengthened their squad quietly. Toby Alderweireld has been rock-solid at the back in his partnership with compatriot Jan Vertonghen, an improvement from the likes of Kaboul and Fazio. This solidifies their core defensive team with a very capable Hugo Lloris in goal. I have always said championships are won on great defenses—not just great offenses—and Spurs currently have the status as the best defense in the league. I was worried for them when Vertonghen sustained an eight-week injury, but Wimmer has been a more than adequate replacement.
There are few teams in the league that have two solid fullbacks on both sides that add to their offensive threat; Spurs have Ben Davies, Danny Rose, Kieran Trippier, Kyle Walker, all British if I might add. Walker in particular has improved the lack of defensive discipline that has plagued him in years past.
This is very much Pochettino’s squad now. He has gotten rid of the deadwood and non-committed players such as Adebayor, Kaboul and Paulinho and has assembled a squad that is committed to hard work and high intensity in their place, a management style that he advocates heavily.
Nowhere is this clearer than in Spurs' young midfield. Their charge to the title has been led by the graft of Dier, 22, Carroll, 23, and the sheer talent of Eriksen, 24, and Kane, 22. Dele Alli, 19, has been one of the stars of their season with his energy and talent, typified by his wonder-goal against Crystal Palace. This builds upon the excellent partnership that Nabil Bentaleb and Ryan Mason had last season, the former not even able to make the starting lineup now.
They also have experienced heads in Lloris, 29, Vertonghen and Dembele, both 28. This Spurs squad also has depth; Chadli and Lamela were capable replacements when Spurs needed pace and pressure up front against City. In particular, Lamela’s form has improved under the management of his fellow Argentinean.
I still think they need someone to take the goal-scoring pressure off Kane, but as long as they continue the same ethos that has brought them this far, their quality in midfield could carry them to their first championship since 1961.
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