With Mauricio Pochettino scouting and eventually signing Victor Wanyama from former club Southampton, it looks like Tottenham will be boosting the size of their squad with a new season on the horizon.
Here is why I think Tottenham will once again be title contenders in the 2016/17 season.
1. Squad fitness
Pochettino’s philosophy is based on hard work and determination and his squad did not let him down last season. The ‘Lilly-whites’ became renowned for high pressing and not giving up. This style of play was crucial to Spurs’ success last season, as they wore down their opponents time after time until talisman Harry Kane and starlet Dele Alli could pounce on any chance they were given. Manager Pochettino and his backroom staff will be sure to put the players through their paces to ensure the now Champions League stars can maximise their true potential.
2. A young and fearless squad
Last season, the North London club continuously fielded the youngest starting 11 in the Premier League. With the rise of young stars like Dele Alli and Eric Dier, the future is looking bright for Tottenham Hotspur. Some pundits were sceptical about the lack of experience among the ranks of Spurs’ roster at the start of last season, but the squad proved them wrong. 10/11 of Tottenham’s starting 11 were chosen to represent their countries at international tournaments this summer, with some excelling like Erik Lamela and Eric Dier so most of the team have had even more playing time on top of Tottenham’s hectic season.
3. New acquisitions
The Tottenham scouts are out in numbers this summer, in the USA, France and all around the globe. On the 23rd of June, Tottenham made their first summer signing, Victor Wanyama from Southampton FC for a suspected £11 million. The London club has also been linked with Roma’s Paraguayan striker, Antonio Sanabria as the backup for England international Harry Kane. It is crucial Tottenham bolster their squad for the upcoming campaign, as they now have to play in the Champions League, where they could potentially face some of the world’s best like FC Barcelona and Real Madrid.
4. Mauricio Pochettino
Many would argue, myself included, that Tottenham has one of the Premier League’s best managers in Mauricio Pochettino. The 44-year old has shown that he can improve any squad he inherits, both with Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton FC. Daniel Levy has time and time again confirmed that he will do everything in his power to try and give the Argentinian the right opportunities and resources he needs to help the ‘Lilly-whites’ be successful. From the last two seasons, it has been apparent that the young squad of Tottenham’s have responded well to Pochettino’s regime of double training sessions and his hard and tedious training sessions. Not only do the players respond well to Pochettino in training, but also in any match situation they are put into.
5. Competitiveness
Last season saw Tottenham fall short of Premier League glory to Leicester City but even through the more stressful periods of the season, the players of Tottenham Hotspur held their heads high. After a very convincing 4-0 win over Stoke City during the later stages of the season, Tottenham looked liked they were still hunting Leicester who was sitting top of the table. This game perfectly summed up Tottenham’s whole season, never giving up. If Spurs keep this mentality along with their full squad for the upcoming season, nothing will be stopping them in becoming one of the top contenders for the coveted Premier League trophy.
