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Club Focus - Tottenham Hotspur - Best Spurs squad in years earns Champions League adventure
Having come so close to Champions League qualification in 2006 only to be scuppered by a dodgy batch of lasagnes, Tottenham Hotspur finally cracked it in 2010 and secured their ticket to the big time.
Lasagne-gate might have cost Spurs the chance to play in Europe’s premier competition but the truth is that four years ago they were not anywhere near as well equipped to deal with the task as they are now. The 2009/10 season should have posed Spurs their biggest test in trying to break in to the top four. With the big four well established as perennial high achievers, Manchester City looked best equipped to crash the party. An unprecedented spending spree from a team without even a place in the Europa League to offer new recruits looked to have given City a massive advantage, with Arsenal the team tipped to miss out on the Champions League to the blue half of Manchester. Aston Villa recovered from a slow start to also be in the running for large parts of the season, making Tottenham’s chances of qualifying ever more difficult. What Harry Redknapp had in his favour this season was the best squad the club have had for generations.
Peter Crouch was the headline arrival of the summer, but it was his former Portsmouth strike partner Jermain Defoe who was the star as the season got underway. A five goal haul in a stunning 9-1 win at home to Wigan Athletic was the high point for the diminutive England forward who finally usurped Robbie Keane as the main man at the club, something he never managed in his first spell at White Hart Lane. Defoe tailed off somewhat after the dawn of the New Year, but Redknapp was then able to finally see the best of Roman Pavlyuchenko, a talented player who had previously failed to live up to expectations. Niko Kranjcar’s bargain basement move on transfer deadline day saw a second talented Croatian playmaker boost the midfield, covering admirably in the absence of his compatriot Luka Modric who suffered a broken leg against Birmingham City. A snip at little more than £2m, Kranjcar put in some sterling performances for his new side, none more important than his brace in the 3-0 win against City in December, a result that would prove vital come the end of the campaign.
Aaron Lennon was every bit as impressive as Kranjcar, forcing his way to the top of the queue for the hotly contested right-wing spot in England’s World Cup squad. It was testament to Tottenham’s ever-growing strength in depth that the loss of Lennon for four months to a problematic groin injury after Christmas did not prove overly costly, as David Bentley re-established himself in the team. Bentley might have been disappointing since his big move from Blackburn Rovers in 2008, finding himself marginalised on the fringes, but a player as talented as he does not become worthless overnight. Given a run in the team, the one-time England hopeful proved a highly capable stand in for Lennon, and whilst not possessing the dynamism of the former Leeds United man, the merits of Bentley’s educated right foot were there to see.
With Wilson Palacios acting as a tenacious shield in front of them, the Tottenham defence were superb, especially in the closing weeks of the season. Only Manchester United could match Spurs’ defensive record at home, with just 12 goals conceded in 19 matches at the Lane. Sebastien Bassong arrived from relegated Newcastle United as a rough diamond and slotted in alongside the more experienced Michael Dawson and Ledley King whenever called upon. Dawson’s stature in the game has grown immeasurably this season, with some commanding performances moving him from beyond the fringes of the England squad to being a genuine contender for the World Cup . Ironically, it is the form of King that will likely deny Dawson a place on the plane, with the Spurs captain proving peerless in his displays and demonstrating in April and May that his troublesome knee can cope with games in close succession if sensitively managed by the coaching staff.
The surprise star of the campaign proved to be Gareth Bale, the Welsh youngster grasping his chance when regular left-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto was ruled out for several weeks in January. A highly talented youngster at Southampton, Bale had lost his way since joining Spurs, failing to cope with the demands and expectations of his big move. A decent run in the team later, and Bale is now one of the first names on the teamsheet, although his attacking play is still better than his defensive game which suggests the left-wing is where he will find his home.
With Champions League qualification secured, albeit with a preliminary round to tackle before a place in the money-spinning group stage is confirmed, Tottenham can look forward to the 2010/11 campaign with relish. The current squad has shown to possess plenty of depth, with quality players left to warm the bench when everyone is fit. The additional demands of Europe will offer an even more taxing test but Redknapp does not need to add too many players to have a side good enough to cope. A worthy back-up to the ever-improving Heurelho Gomes is required in goal, and former Spur Marton Fulop has looked a good shout in his emergency loan at Eastlands. Assou-Ekotto is now 26-years-old and is yet to prove he is mature enough to be a top-class left-back whilst Bale looked vulnerable when stationed there against United recently. This is one of the areas that can still be considerably improved, with the Cameroonian not in the same class as King, Dawson and right-back Vedran Corluka. A top class striker or two will be on Redknapp’s shopping list, with Defoe and Pavlyuchenko proving inconsistent and Crouch too selfless to be a real Champions League star. All have a real part to play next season, but Tottenham do not possess a Didier Drogba or Wayne Rooney at present. An extra body in midfield would be welcome, particularly if Jermaine Jenas moves on as expected, although Brazilian midfielder Sandro could prove enough if he settles well in England.
There is plenty of scope for positivity at the Lane right now, and the achievement of breaking the top four in such a fiercely contested season should not be underestimated. What Redknapp must do next is ensure the Champions League dream does not end before it has begun by avoiding defeat in the qualifying round. Once in to the group stage, Spurs have a chance to enjoy an even better season than they have this time round, and the jigsaw that is the squad is only a couple of pieces away from completion.
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