Predictions of Spurs’ demise are so far premature. It is too early to discount a side who finished fourth.
It doesn’t take a genius to establish that Spurs face big challenges this summer.
Right now they have no manager and star midfielder Luka Modric appears to want out, and the doom mongers are lining up to write them off.
This season up until the end of January they were pushing the Manchester clubs strongly, before their well-documented collapse which saw them relinquish a top three place.
Clearly the nucleus of a good squad is still at White Hart Lane, and even if Modric goes they will receive plenty of money to buy a suitable replacement – perhaps even two.
Where it can’t be denied that Tottenham do look weak is in attack. Discounting the enigma that is Gio dos Santos, the club only have one recognised striker, Jermain Defoe.
As the days go by, it looks more and more unlikely that Emmanuel Adebayor will turn his move permanent, and Louis Saha has been released after his brief stint.
Right now when considering the top teams for next season, Spurs’ lack of strikers mean at present we can’t properly assess them – they are a step behind their rivals.
Manchester City have Aguero, Tevez, Balotelli and Dzeko – United have Rooney, Hernandez and Welbeck, and Arsenal have Van Persie, Podolski and now seemingly Giroud.
This of course can change, but you can bet that if Arsenal wave bye bye to Van Persie or City sell Tevez, they will buy top class replacements.
Spurs need additions, not replacements. While Defoe wants to lead the line, clearly he needs support. Names that have been mentioned include Frenchman Loic Remy, Brazilian sensation Leandro Damiao and Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.
All those writing Tottenham off wouldn’t be doing it so readily if the squad line up for the new season with three of Damiao, Huntelaar, Remy and Defoe making up the attack, not to mention Bale and Van der Vaart supplying the bullets.
It is early June, the transfer window is not even officially open, and a lot more developments which lie ahead. Perhaps Andre Villas-Boas would attempt to sign former Porto striker Hulk from under the noses of Chelsea, but Daniel Levy would have to change his recently shrewd reputation and stump up seriously big money.
The fixtures have been announced, now it is up to the Spurs board to get their management and playing staff up to speed.
When we line up in August, if the club’s striking line still looks inadequate, only then we even can think about writing them off. If they go and buy themselves a world class striking line up, then they may just surprise all the doubters and go and challenge for a Champions League place, and even the title next season.
They can lay down an opening day marker against Newcastle, and from there, the season is their oyster. These two months are crucial, and the board need to get some proven goalscorers on board to give the club a fighting chance in 2012/13.
Who should Spurs sign up front? Do you share the positivity?
image: © tpower1978
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