In any other season, Tottenham would have been the talking point as their youngsters produced a challenge of their own last season. But instead, they were seen as the villains in the fairytale story. Unfortunately for them, they just didn’t have the mentality to keep their challenge going. Leicester seemed an unstoppable force.
But under manager Mauricio Pochettino, they clearly have a man that can help them to challenge again at some point in the future. The foundations for success have been laid, but the question is; is this season the season?
So far this season, they are the only unbeaten team in the league – a run that stretches 11 matches. They have missed Moussa Dembele, Harry Kane, Toby Alderweireld for long periods during that run, who are quite frankly massively important players for them.
Take Moussa Dembele for instance, a remarkable stat backs up his claim to being Tottenham’s most important player. Tottenham are undefeated in the last 30 games in which he has started. The last defeat coming against Manchester United in the first game of last season.
The main problem this season – and the fact that this is being talked about as a problem in an 11 match unbeaten run is a testament to how highly they’re now regarded – is that they just aren’t scoring enough goals.
They have desperately missed last season’s top goal scorer Harry Kane. The Tottenham attack without him has looked toothless with Vincent Janssen slow to adapt to life as a Premier League striker.
But, they have by far the best defence in any of the professional leagues in England having only conceded 6 goals so far this term. And only one team in Europe’s top leagues equals their defensive record this season – Bayern Munich. And remarkably just one goal has been conceded from open play.
The problem for Tottenham is that their squad just isn’t deep enough. Last season, they were remarkably fortunate with injuries, which helped them towards their title challenge.
It is fair to say that Tottenham are yet to click and whether they can sustain a title challenge this season depends on whether they can keep their key players fit, and get back to goalscoring ways. Goalscoring has been their problem this season.
However, they say that defences win titles – and that gives Tottenham a great base from which to build, and should the return of star striker Harry Kane add the goals to the side that they sorely lack, then they will be another name that you can add to the list of teams who look capable of challenging in what is lining up to be the most exciting fight for the title in Premier League history.