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Tottenham Or Leicester? Who Deserves The Title More? Find Out For Yourselves

Leicester have had a surprising, shocking and yet enjoyable season for the neutrals. Everyone would be happy if they went on to win the Premier League, but do they deserve it more than their competitors, Tottenham? This is a very controversial question. Yes, they did win against them at White Hart Lane, but Leicester’s success story has been more due to the form and unstoppable frenzy of 2 players in attack, Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy. The duo has terrorized the PL with their goal scoring abilities and have suited Leicester’s counter-attacking style of football. They have strong midfielders like Danny Drinkwater and N’Golo Kante but are they better than the duo of Dembele and Dier? Is Leicester City performing at the same levels as a team like Tottenham throughout the season?

Here are 3 points that will help us decide who deserves the title more. Firstly, key players. As mentioned earlier, Leicester has found it hard to cope without the attacking influence of Vardy or Mahrez but when Kante was ruled out of games, they managed to see out the danger of the void with ease. Football especially when played counter attack minded is won with great defences and goal scorers. Leicester would have gravely missed the duo of Vardy and Mahrez while in defence, the Premier League veteran Robert Huth has been a rock. It is quite safe to say that they are the key players to Leicester gaining all 3 points.

Coming to Spurs side of the story. Leading the race for the golden boot, Harry Kane has scored 21 goals in the PL albeit not having found the net till October 2015. His goals really buoyed Spurs’s rise up the table and has kept them within touching distance of the title. The players responsible for the supply? Unlike Leicester, there are 3 players involved mainly with the assists – Alli, Eriksen and either wing back. Yes, the defence has been more than just players who sit back and spray the ball. They have been players who start and join in the build-up plays. It is safe to say that usually there are 4 key players to scoring goals for Spurs and there’s 3 main men who stop them, Alderweireld, Vertonghen and Dier.

Surprised on Dier’s inclusion? He has played as a Central Defensive Midfielder this season but slotted in as a 3rd Centre Back whenever the side went into attack mode and this shift in tactics resulted in the win over Watford on boxing day. It is quite safe to conclude that Spurs have 7 key players in the side who are irreplaceable and are the reason why they are doing so well. Without their influence, Spurs would probably be in the mid-table positions. Leicester with 3 key players and Spurs with 7. Looks like Tottenham have more of a team effort which is quite obviously visible but doesn’t mean that Leicester have been carried single-handedly up the ladder thanks to the brilliance of just 3 players.

Second point is the goal keepers. As much as goal scoring is important in winning 3 points every game and eventually the title, so is the job of shot stopping. Both sides are gifted with solid goal keepers but the obvious better choice would be Hugo Lloris. The Frenchman is also the club captain and has pulled off some fabulous saves that one would only associate with the best keepers in the world. The absence of Lloris would have seen Spurs playing a totally different style of football as Hugo is key to maintaining the high line of defence as he is very quick off his line and excels in the role of a sweeper keeper. Schmeichel is more of a classic traditional goal keeper but has his merits too. But he does not match the performance levels that Hugo Lloris racks up, game after game. Clearly, Spurs have the better shot stopper and it reflects in the stats as they not only boast the meanest defence, they also boast the least goals conceded record and have the highest goal difference in the Premier League.

Last but not the least, bench strength and squad stability. It is quite safe to say that both the teams have incredible chemistry and understanding between every squad member but who has stronger and hungrier team inclusive of the bench strength? From what we have seen, Leicester have had very less reason to call upon back ups, but Spurs have had to search for answers on many occasions, maybe due to injuries maybe due to tactic shift, but the presence of super sub players like Chadli and Son along with players like Trippier and Davies who give the first choice players a run for their money for the place in the 11 along with Wimmer who has been an incredible deputy for Vertonghen, Spurs have more easily dealt with hardships and obstacles thrown at them. Astute management of fitness and playing to their strengths has been the key to this.

Meanest defence, better squad members and golden boot leader may all be in advantage for Spurs but ultimately all that matters is the points. Leicester City had performed in comparison a tad poorer than Spurs against the big names ( 2 losses v Arsenal) while Spurs who may still lose that advantage in the upcoming game weeks. The point being, all this may not matter. To win the title you need points and that’s what Leicester will bother with. Can Spurs use the above-listed advantages and get to the title? We will have to wait and watch.

 

 

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