Tottenham will face Serie A champions Juventus in their first game of the International Champions Cup at Melbourne Cricket Ground on 26th July. This will be Spurs first match that will be open to the public, following 3 closed door friendlies in England, where they won two and lost once. The good news is that new signing Vincent Janssen opened his account after turning in Kieran Trippier’s cross against Rotherham. After facing Juventus, Tottenham will take on Atletico Madrid at the same venue on 29th.
This will be a perfect chance for manager Mauricio Pochettino to assess his players who are coming back from participating in the European Championship and Copa America. It will also give him a chance to see how his young side fairs against two of the biggest clubs in the world. Kane, Alli, Lloris, Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen, Moussa Dembele, Danny Rose, Kyle Walker and Eric Dier are all absent following Euro 2016 commitments. Pochettino will most likely go with a mix of youth and experience until his first team players return to training. Having missed out on the title last season following a late slump, Pochettino must make sure that his team is ready and firing before the all-important opener on august 13th.
Goalkeeper: Michel Vorm
Vorm will take his place between the sticks in the absence of Hugo Lloris. The Dutchman made only 7 appearances last season with just one coming in the Premier League. It’s unlikely that he will improve on that much next season, however, he still a very solid backup option to have.
Defenders: Carter-Vickers, Kevin Wimmer, Luke Amos and Kieran Trippier
Kevin Wimmer is the only player who appeared at Euro 2016 to be included in Tottenham’s travelling squad to Australia and should slot in next to Carter-Vickers in central defence. The 18-year-old has been excellent this summer, in the absence of first team players, however, next few matches will be a real test of his abilities. Trippier will occupy the right-back spot, while Amos will be stationed on the left.
Midfielders: Wanyama, Ryan Mason, Son, Chadli and Christian Eriksen
Former Southampton midfielder, Wanyama will start in central midfield alongside Ryan Mason. Wanyama is a quality addition to the Spurs squad and will be crucial in protecting the back four. With the arrival of Wanyama, Mason finds himself further down the pecking order which might just motivate him to look for a new club this summer. Eriksen is one of the few first team players to have travelled to Australia and should slot in behind the striker for the match against Juventus. Son and Chadli will man right and left wing respectively.
Striker: Vincent Janssen
Janssen scored his first goal last week against Rotherham. He will be expected to lead the line in the absence of Harry Kane in Australia and provide cover for the English forward all through next season.