Three Things Tottenham Need To Do, To Secure A Champions League Berth

Come this New Year, Spurs find themselves three points behind the treasured Champions League spot, but the talking point remains of Andre Villas Boas’ unceremonious sacking at White Hart lane. Whether or not Spurs will finish in the Champions League places still remains to be seen, but Sunday’s 3-0 win over Stoke City will surely be a bright silver lining at the end of a tumultuous year in north London. The new head coach in the guise of Tim Sherwood has vowed to restore the killing instinct in the team and his short tenure has been met with widespread restoration of belief. The lack of directness and penetration which was visible under AVB has suddenly disappeared as the team is playing under more confidence and expressiveness albeit a subtle change of style.

No, Sherwood hasn’t worked his magic wand as of yet with cracks still visible in the Tottenham side, but recent performances will only fuel that change has been granted and that too in the right direction. It’s no doubt that Spurs will have to get with tougher tests than Stoke, starting with new year’s day trip to Old Trafford, but the exuberance and change in approach will augur well for a side who haven’t quite lived up to their expectations this campaign. Today we here at Soccersouls have decided to provide our readers with a unique piece regarding how Tottenham can reassert their Champions League aspirations and if not, a place higher than expected.

Play two strikers, Adebayor remains an integral part of squad:

Emanuel Adebayor’s return from the wilderness has suddenly gone well with the fans. The much forgotten Togolese had an instant impact since Sherwood took over, scoring a brace in his team’s impressive 3-2 win over Southampton a couple of game weeks ago at St’ Mary’s. Consider Sunday’s affair against Stoke when Adebayor tried to curl in from an audacious scissors kick which enabled the home side to win the penalty, only for Soldado to score from the spot. The ex Valencia man will also thrive playing with a striker alongside him, making space and dropping into pockets whenever required. Whether or not Sherwood will look for a striker in the January Transfer Window still remains to be seen, Adebayor’s presence in the starting eleven might not be a bad idea after all if a deal fails to materialise in the winter transfer window.

Wing Play remains a key for Tottenham’s resurgence:

It has been widely noted that Soldado plays his best when he is delivered balls in the penalty box to slot home. This reaffirms the fact that both Aaron Lennon and Andros Townsend/ Erik Lamela need to play on the wings and play with consistency. Lennon time and again made his incisive runs into the penalty box against Stoke, with Soldado’s movement off the ball looking better every day, Tottenham might have a different outlet in crunch games. Lamela too, though new to the Premier League will take time to adjust, alongside Townsend, who might be a bit inexperienced for the biggest of stages, but as they say, “Rome was not built in a day.” Sherwood would know that better.

Midfield depth remains the key:

If I had to pick out one player who has been the standout performer for Spurs this season, it has to be Christian Eriksen. The diminutive Dane, playing in the number ten role, with all his exhilarating skills and dazzling dynamism on the ball has held the White Hart Lane side from crumbling. Eriksen, now back from injury is perhaps the most important mainstay if Tottenham have to finish in a place to secure Europe’s elite football. Moussa Dembele and Paulinho too remains the backbone in central midfield for a squad which have been underperforming as of late and the season as a whole. The Belgian-Brazilian duo remains integral for the Spurs side who leak goals more often than not in the biggest of games.