Tottenham Hotspur have well and truly upped the ante and their recent form has seen the rest of the bigwigs sit up and take notice. They have been a class apart in recent weeks. After a terrific run last year where a late collapse saw them inexplicably finish 3rd below Leicester City and Arsenal, they started off slowly this season. There were suggestions of burnout and the dismal performances of the likes of Dele Alli and Harry Kane in the Euros gave more fodder to the cynics.
But the duo has come back to form in style and supported by the wily Eriksen, they are truly ruling the Premier League now. The dominant 2-0 win over Chelsea was the highlight of their burst of form and with most of the things going in their favour, it might seem that Spurs will once again be the frontrunner in the title race for the second year running.
But Pochettino will know that there are palpable loopholes yet in their title bid and although they tried to cover up the cracks in the squad, not all of it has been successful. While Victor Wanyama has been one of the best signings of the summer and has certainly bolstered their midfield and Sissoko has also looked capable without looking anything special, the same can’t be said about perhaps their most important area of the field.
Spurs are heavily and almost totally dependent on Harry Kane as their striker to provide the goals. Yes, Alli and Eriksen do chip in but with their workload getting divided into other areas as well, it won’t be fair to expect a bunch of goals from them. There was always a fear last season regarding any instance of injury or suspension for Harry Kane and while that was avoided miraculously throughout the season, one can’t take that risk again.
And Pochettino tried to make sure they had a replacement in the form of Vincent Janssen but the move has not paid off and the Dutchman still looks a good way off being a striker for a club challenging for the Premier League title.
And latest reports suggests that the manager is looking to launch a bid for wantaway PSG forward Jese Rodriguez. The player moved from Real Madrid in the summer but has failed to settle and is heavily linked with a move away. While a number of clubs are said to be interested, if Tottenham does pump up their interest, they are expected to be ahead in the queue.
His pace will offer a different dimension to the Lilywhites who have lacked that aspect ever since Bale’s departure. And unlike Bale, the Spaniard does not require large open spaces to exploit and is extremely effective in tight areas. A technical dribbler with a keen eye for his teammates, he’s equally as strong a passer as he is a finisher in front of goal.
He will be a welcome addition and if the move does go through, the fans and the club would be hoping that he reclaims his form from his early Madrid days.
