A new Premier League season is under way and with it comes fresh hopes for Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs came so close to finally winning a title last year that they could practically taste it, but the team was dealt a tough loss to Chelsea. It’s a whole new year and it’s time to put the past behind us and focus on the future. While there’s little question as to the team’s quality or the tactical acumen of manager Mauricio Pochettino the fortunes of Tottenham might come down to luck this season.
The heartbreak that ended last season left supporters and players alike positively gutted. The Telegraph reported that Pochettino went so far as to say he wanted to kill both his players and himself. Hey, at least the man gets points for honesty. Spurs played phenomenally well last season and no one could have predicted the freak title win of Leicester City and at some point it’s not you, it’s fate. The problem is certainly not a lack of quality players, a belief reinforced through the scant summer transfer signings. The club only picked up two players during the summer; a fresh striker in Vincent Janssen and midfielder Victor Wanyama. Otherwise this is pretty much the same team as last year, but that’s a good thing.
There’s no question of the team’s talent. Tottenham still boasts one of the best strikers in the game (Harry Kane), and the 23-year-old Englishman just keeps getting better. Kane is actually one of the favorites to win this year’s Golden Boot for top goalscorer with Betfair’s football exchange placing the player at third behind only Sergio Aguero and Zlatan Ibrahimovich. Kane won the Golden Boot last year with an astonishing 22 goals, five more than Aguero. While Kane has said he’s still feeling a bit of exhaustion after competing at Euro 2016, he’ll be back to 100 percent soon enough. And when he does, you can bet that he’ll find the back of the net. Couple Kane with an incredibly talented midfield that includes the likes of Erik Lamela, Dele Alli, and Cristian Eriksen, and you have a recipe for one of the most fearsome offenses in the Premier League. The defense is no slouch either with Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld, Danny Rose, and Kyle Walker forming a formidable back line. Looking at this line-up, it’s no wonder Tottenham are strong picks for a top-four finish once again this year.
Unfortunately, things aren’t off to a great start, because the club is forced to play without star goalkeeper Hugo Lloris for some time. According to Sky Sports, the French keeper and team captain suffered a hamstring injury and was forced to leave the opening match against Everton in the first half hour. The team ultimately drew the match against the Toffees 1-1 thanks to a late goal from Erik Lamela. Lloris will be out for the next four weeks, leaving Dutch keeper Michael Vorm between the sticks for Spurs. Thankfully, with the exception of Liverpool, Spurs won’t face a top-of-the-table club until they play Manchester City at the beginning of October.
The next five games should all be very winnable for Tottenham, even without Lloris, and the team’s biggest challenges won’t come until later this fall. But if Tottenham plays to its potential and stays healthy, there’s no reason they can’t end the season with at least another Champions League finish.