Share

Tottenham: Where they need to improve

Cape Town - As the opening of the transfer window beckons, the managers of the Premier League are already focused on next season.

The transfer window is a period that could make or break the first-half of the season for any club in top flight football.

With the 'top four' seemingly turning into a 'top six' over the past few years, the managers of Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City will all look to improve their squads.

In a series of six articles, Sport24's Tashreeq Vardien takes an in-depth look as to which areas each club need to improve to make their 2017/18 season a success.

Chelsea: Where they need to improve

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (manager - Mauricio Pochettino)

Tottenham will to undergo a stadium change next season as owner Daniel Levy looks to usher in a new era for the club.

The Lilywhites are set to call Wembley Stadium 'home' for the 2017/18 campaign as demolition on Spurs' famous White Hart Lane has already begun.

The new unnamed stadium will be able to gather 66 000 fans and is set to be completed by the end of next season.

Meanwhile at Wembley, Spurs struggled playing there in the Champions League - losing two of their three matches at United Kingdom's cathedral of stadiums.

After a stellar 2015/16 season, Spurs' London rivals West Ham United went through a similar change when they had to say goodbye to their famous patch, the Boleyn Ground.

The hoodoo of a stadium switch affected the Hammers adversely this past season as they dropped out of the top half of the Premier League.

A BREATH OF FRESH AIR

Despite having played the best football of any team in the Premier League, Tottenham will need to bring in some fresh faces to take the club to new heights.

Many believe that Spurs are still way off the benchmark of being an EPL threat but given their efforts this past season, the naysayers will be doubting their own opinion.

The first job for Mauricio Pochettino is to curb all parties interested in poaching their best players unless a better replacement can be secured.

Danny Rose is hotly tipped to switch from a white strip to that of a red or blue one of Manchester United or Manchester City, as both clubs look to secure the Doncaster-born player's signature.

Meanwhile, City are also casting their eyes on luring Kyle Walker to the Ethihad Stadium, while Moussa Sissoko is considering quitting Spurs after only making the starting XI on eight occasions for the club in his maiden season.

Both Walker and Rose have been impressive in defence and attack for Pochettino's charges and losing either of the two could raise concerns for Tottenham's title charge.

A statistic that stands out for the club is goal difference - Spurs scored the most league goals (86) in the 2016/17 campaign, while also conceding the least (26).

The partnership of Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen blossomed into a formidable duo. However, Spurs need to stock up defensively to keep the Belgian defenders on their toes.

The club are rumoured to be eyeing Michael Keane of Burnley and Ben Gibson from relegated Middlesbrough.

While jetting across Europe due to Champions League commitments, Pochettino could do with a proven striker to challenge the superb Harry Kane.

Despite it being his first full season in the Premier League, 22-year-old forward Vincent Janssen failed to impress whenever Kane was rested or out injured.

It is reported that Joshua King could switch from Bournemouth to Spurs after the Norwegian scored 16 goals in the league last season.

The 2017/18 campaign could be the season Spurs lift the Premier League trophy... will they rise up to the occasion? 

Tashreeq Vardien works at Sport24 and is a paper basketball dustbin champion... Follow Tashreeq on Twitter.

Disclaimer: Sport24 encourages freedom of speech and the expression of diverse views. The views of columnists published on Sport24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Sport24.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1142 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1323 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2023 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE