A year ago, it seemed like the end of the world on Tottenham High Road. After months of failed starts, rejections, and fan objections, they had hired Nuno Espirito Santo, who was about as beloved in the Bluth household as Ann Veal. Him? Having reached his breaking point, Harry Kane was resolved to make the right decision for his career and play elsewhere. A season of football in the Europa Conference League held no interest whatsoever.
Even the fact that they got off to the best possible start in 2021-22 gave the impression of a mirage. Kane went from not showing up to not being a big deal, and it seemed like only rival fans had fun with European soccer. It seemed like Pacos de Ferreira’s only goal in life was to make fun of Spurs. Daniel Levy quickly fired Nuno and hired Antonio Conte, the guy he wanted the first time around. The change was not always immediate, but it has been substantial a year after the pandemonium.
It seems that Kane is getting back to his old form. There is newfound glitz to this year’s European competition; the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has finally hosted Champions League games. And at the heart of it all lies one of the world’s best managers. The 2022/2023 season looks promising for both spurs fans and Premier league betting alike.
Potential advantages
Both Harry Kane, one of the best center forwards in the world, and Dele Alli, one of the best wide attacking players in the world, play for Tottenham. Both of these can play multiple roles within a single match and do all of them brilliantly. Even though many clubs around the world want them, both appear to be very happy with their current situations. This is great news for Tottenham.
Add in Dejan Kulusevski, who took off like a sprinter in January, and Richarlison, and you have an offense that ranks among the best in the game. Richarlison’s motivation to establish his worth at a Champions League team is great news for Spurs.
Tottenham is good at fast breaks, through balls, using the wing-backs, and Son and Kane’s telepathic connection. They can pose a threat in so many different ways that it is hard to stop them when each of their parts is in sync with the others.
This season, the Spurs’ players are also likely to better understand one another. Cristian Romero has already made his move permanent, Bentancur and Kulusevski have had their first summer with their teammates, and Antonio Conte has had his first preseason with them all. Social media posts led us to believe that the spurs are focusing on a lot of stamina this preseason.
There are no assurances, but Conte performs at his peak when he is confident that he has the complete support of the club he manages. That being said, Tottenham might just have the 3rd best manager in the country.
Pressure could be an issue
Tottenham placed in the top four last year but was not considered a favorite throughout the season. They are now third-favorites for the title, trailing only behind Chelsea. Expectation can lead to unnecessary stress.
There’s also the problem of European football, which Tottenham dealt with the previous season by being consistently bad and missing their final group match due to a Covid-19 epidemic. This season, that is not an option. Conte’s track record as a manager in Europe is dismal, and he will see this as an insult to his reputation. There is a real concern as to whether the Spurs can properly manage both tournaments.
The only other possibly problematic area is center defense, where Dier, Davies, and Romero appear to be crucial. Joe Rodon is untrustworthy, Sanchez is a Revels defender, and Clement Lenglet has failed to impress at Barcelona.
Last season, Southampton, Brighton, Aston Villa, and Crystal Palace all had fewer shots than Tottenham. Even though those chances were not as good, Conte will want to make sure that nothing goes wrong, especially on set pieces.
Summertime business
Spurs have been active in the transfer market, particularly at the beginning of the year, which allowed Antonio Conte to bring his new players along on the club’s pre-season tour/boot camp. Conte is concerned with control, and you can imagine him getting antsy if transfer sagas continued into late August.
