With nine games remaining, Tottenham really need to kick on when the league restarts. Here, Peter Watton, from matched betting experts OddsMonkey, picks five players that need to perform over the next few weeks if Spurs are to make the Champion’s League.
When COVID-19 forced the season to halt in March, Tottenham were having a pretty rotten month. The team had been dumped out of both the Champion’s League and FA Cup and were without a win in either of their league games. In some ways, the extended break has been both a curse and a blessing for Spurs. They’ve suffered the same level of disruption as other clubs but have also had a respite to regroup and focus on coming back in better form.
Starting this week, the climax to the Premier League season promises to be a sprint to the finish for the clubs looking to finish in the top five and qualify for the Champion’s League (pending Man City’s European ban appeal). If Tottenham are going to make the cut from their current 8th place, they’re going to need to hit the ground running and their big players need to perform.
Here is my pick of Spurs’ top five players that need to shine during the Premier League run-in.
Harry Kane
The return of Harry Kane could be the most significant moment this season for Spurs. The striker had a nightmare start to 2020 when he injured his hamstring on New Year’s Day against Southampton and has been out ever since. Despite being missing over two months, he is still the club’s top scorer with 11 in 20 games, showing just how much Spurs have struggled without their talisman.
Thanks to the ongoing pandemic, Kane has had the chance to fully recover from his injury and, if the club are going to get anything out of this season, they need him to start scoring from the off. It’s not just about the goals though, as the rest of the team play a whole lot better when their captain is on the pitch. Not only that, but he will free up the likes of Alli, Moura, and Son from playing upfront, allowing them to return to the positions they are most effective in.
Son Heung-min
Son Heung-min may be the most underrated player in the Premier League. Even at Spurs, he stands in the shadow of Harry Kane. But, looking at his combined goals and assists this season, he has been involved in 24 goals in all competitions, while Kane was involved in 19. And he has also been more efficient with shooting, with 58% of his shots on target versus Kane’s 53%. So, when Son got injured not long after Kane, Tottenham lost their other major goal threat.
The good news is that Sonis over his injury problems and raring to go. The team is at its best when Son and Kane play together, and not many clubs boast two world-class forwards that can play in the same line-up without stepping on each other’s toes. It’s been a while since Spurs fans have seen the two on the same pitch, so let’s hope they remind everyone how good they can be.
Dele Alli
When Dele Alli burst onto the scene as a teenager, it almost seemed as if Tottenham had signed a ready-made superstar. Unfortunately, the player has never quite hit the heights of those first two seasons and has yet to make it into double figures in the league since. This can partly be ascribed to the fact that Alli has been moved around the pitch, featuring as a winger, holding midfielder, and a striker, as well as his preferred advanced midfielder role in recent years.
For all the things that Mourinho has gotten right and wrong in his tenure so far, one of his best calls has been to push Alli back into that more advanced role. And, he has been rewarded with a decent return of 8 goals in 22 games so far. For the first time in three seasons, we might see Dele break into double digits. Once the Premier League gets underway, I’m sure that he will be determined to bag as many goals as he can to add to his tally.
Giovani Lo Celso
I feel sorry for Giovani Lo Celso. Signed (on loan initially) last summer, he was sitting on the bench as a certain Christian Eriksen circled the drain at the end of his Spurs career. Then, when the Dane was finally dropped and he got his chance to shine, he really did, showing passing and dribbling ability and adapting to the demands of the English game. He did so well that the club made his transfer permanent at the first opportunity in January. But then COVID-19 brought a halt to all that progress.
Now, the stage is set for Lo Celso to become the playmaker of a fully revitalised Spurs side. If he can pick up where he left off, he has the skill to drive the team forwards and unlock the opposition’s defence, which could be a crucial factor in any success to be had this season. In keeping with his lack of luck, Lo Celso seems to have picked up an injury that could keep him out of the first match or two, but we’ll hopefully see him returning sooner than later.
Toby Alderweireld
Tottenham’s centre back Toby Alderweireld has been very consistent this season, despite being one of the infamous contract rebels alongside Christian Eriksen and Jan Vertonghen. Fast forward a few months, and things are looking a lot brighter for the experienced Belgian, with the ink drying on a new three-and-a-half-year deal. Alderweireld has demonstrated that it’s still possible to put in good performances without being distracted by issues off the pitch, unlike others.
While Spurs have not been at their best this season, Toby Alderweireld has been a steady presence at the back. He will need to continue with his consistent performances if the club is going to put a run of form together that will see them claim Champion’s League football. The experienced players at the back, like Alderweireld, Hugo Lloris, and Jan Vertonghen, need to play a role in guiding the club towards their goal, as well as helping to develop young talents like Japhet Tanganga and Juan Foyth.
As you can see, there are a few key players that Spurs will be depending on this season. If the likes of Kane, Alli, Son, Lo Celso, and Alderweireld can lift their game, then we may still see Champion’s League football next season.
