Tottenham Hotspur will be delighted following the end of the European transfer window. The Lilywhites were on the verge of losing Christian Eriksen this summer. But, with the window now closed, the Danish international is set to stay in north London for the time being.
That being said, there have been many question marks as to whether or not Spurs will be able to fight for the title this season. Paul Merson believes they are already out of the chase. And in this article, we will discuss three reasons why the Sky Sports football pundit might be right.
Lack of balance in defence
For the first time in a while, Tottenham Hotspur are going into a new season with a dysfunctional defensive unit. Indeed, the departure of Kieran Trippier has served as a massive blow for the Lilywhites simply because they lack any viable alternatives.
Kyle Walker-Peters was the first-choice right-back. But, he suffered an injury. As for Serge Aurier, he didn’t leave the club but is not highly rated by Mauricio Pochettino.
The problems continue at the centre-back position. Jan Vertonghen didn’t start the first three games of the campaign and looked extremely vulnerable against Arsenal. At the age of 32, he is nearing the end of his career, and his influence has waned over the past couple of seasons.
Toby Alderweireld is also 30 now. However, the biggest issue is regarding Davinson Sanchez. The Colombian was expected to become the face of the Spurs backline. But, he has struggled with inconsistency and lack of concentration, especially against big teams.
Injuries
Injuries played a crucial role in crippling Tottenham’s progress last season, with Harry Kane, Erik Lamela, Eric Dier and even Dele Alli all getting injured at some point. As a result, Pochettino had to rely on fringe players, which, in turn, significantly reduced the overall quality of the side.
Even this season, the likes of Juan Foyth, Ryan Sessegnon and Tanguy Ndombele are currently sidelined. Ndombele’s absence, in particular, made a huge difference against Arsenal on the weekend. And the Frenchman needs to return soon, else Pochettino will have to keep relying on the services of Moussa Sissoko and Harry Winks.
Sessegnon’s versatility could also have been useful. But, the ex-Fulham starlet is out with a hamstring problem. Besides, creative stars like Alli and Lamela are injury-prone individuals, and if they continue to struggle with fitness problems, Spurs are bound to get knocked out from the title race.
The temerity of Liverpool and Manchester City
The biggest issue regarding the title race is that Tottenham have two extremely strong competitors in Liverpool and Manchester City. Both the clubs are performing in a whole new level, with the Reds recently demolishing Burnley 3-0.
While City are known for their incredible strength in depth, Liverpool arguably have the best team chemistry in Europe at the moment. They also have the revered attacking trio of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane.
It’s probably fair to say that Spurs are the best of the rest of the 18 teams in the league. But, that won’t be enough to help them compete with these two top dogs of English football at the moment.
