Tottenham Hotspurs FC: What We Can Expect From The Club in the Winter Transfer Window?

It’s quiet clear that people will laugh when the Spurs board states that it needs to buy new players to improve in the league. After a hundred odd million pounds splurged in the market, Tottenham find themselves in a position much worse than they were in the previous year. What needs to be done now to change their fate?

Tottenham let go of their star performer this summer: after much discussion, they cashed in big with their sale of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid. But far from being miserly, they utilized the amount gained (plus a little extra) to break their transfer records repeatedly to secure the services of some top class players from all over the world. Experts had different views: some considered it money well spent and others said it was a big price to pay to ensure they finish 5^th. As it stands, there are doubts as to whether they would even finish even in the top half of the table.

Defensive Disappointment

Up until the day Spurs played Manchester City, they had one of the strongest defensive records in the league. Jan Vertonghen was in outstanding form, Michael Dawson a steady force, Kyle Walker and Danny Rose the apt wingbacks for a high defensive line, and Hugo Lloris to complete the perfect picture. However an injury to Rose left the team without a wing back, forcing AVB to play VertonghenAi??on the left, and at times even playing the likes of Kyle Naughton and Zeki Fryers. Dawsonai??i??s loss of form saw him make pedestrian errors, resulting in him being responsible for many of Spurs’ goals conceded. Kyle Walkerai??i??s keen interest in being a goal scorer mixed with his oft poor marking saw the Spurs right flank exploited as well.

As of now, Spurs have only one performing center-half, Vlad Chiriches. Although Chiriches alwaysAi??puts in his best efforts, he is still inexperienced in the Premier League world, and without an apt partner he will be redundant. Ai??Dawsonai??i??s poor performances of late have made the Spurs faithful question his captaincy or even inclusion in the squad, and made them more desperate for Verthongenai??i??s return. Roseai??i??s injury problems have left the club eager for a replacement left-back too.

A Striker’s Nightmare

Roberto Soldado - Tottenham Hotspur centre forward (striker) | Soldado v Negredo - Who Has Had The Better Start? — Roberto Soldado, an expensive failure

Another woe the North London Club faces is the goal drought among their star studded midfield and forward line. Roberto Soldado has been considered a failure, the only thing larger than his exorbitant price tag seems to be his inability to score from regular play. Struggling to adapt to the lone striker role under Andre Villas-Boas, Soldado has been given a new lease of life under the Tim Sherwood regime. Playing alongside another striker has indeed made him a little more enterprising. But it is to be noted that he is yet to score a goal from open play other than the solitary one he has already netted.

Emmanuel Adebayor has returned to the starting line-up and has been a phenomenal force. It still puzzles fans why AVB was reluctant to use him when the other two options available failed to make a mark. Adebayor might have been the most optimum member of the squad to play the lone striker role and might have even saved the managerai??i??s job.

The midfield of the Spurs squad is one that sends shivers down any opposing managerai??i??s spine, at least on paper that is. Robbing Roma of their young starlet Erik Lamela for a handsome A? 30 Million, Spurs were thought to have landed the replacement for Bale. But irregular playing time and his failure to make any big impact in the league matches has lead to him to warming the bench. Christian Eriksen from Ajax had an impact in the initial games, but subsequent absence due to injury has taken consistency away from his performances. Paulinho seems to have been the best signing of this summer. He has worked effortlessly to impress the crowd with box to box performances. The Spurs midfield really doesnai??i??t lack the quality or the personnel; they just need to work harder and together.

The Inflows & The Outflows

A large squad is surely an advantage to the club. They get ample options to pick from, a single injury isn’t the end of the world and rotation helps ensure everyone is well rested. However it does pose a threat to each playerai??i??s game time. This is one reason why we could see players leave the club with the World Cup fast approaching.

Tottenham vs Sheriff Tiraspol - Defoe will be key — Travelling to the USA?

One big piece of news circling the Lane is the possible departure of striker Jermain Defoe. With minimal game time even after proving himself in the Europa League, Defoe is said to be set for a move to the MLS to play for Toronto FC in a A?6 Million deal which will be announced soon. Ai??This leaves the club needing a striker. If rumours are to be believed, Sherwood wants to sign Lyonai??i??s front man Bafetimbi Gomis whose contract is coming to a close and might be available for a bargain A?5 Million. Additionally, the Juventus striking pair of Mirko Vucinic and Fabio QuagliarellaAi??is linked heavily to Spurs; probably the hope is that either one might be an apt replacement for Defoe and available on short term deals. Shane Long also seems to be in the running for Spurs’ latest striker.

In the midfield, there are rumours claiming Lamela might be moving out on a loan deal to Inter to aid him in gaining a spot in his national team squad. Lewis Holtby too has been shrouded in rumours of a return to Schalke on a loan spell. However Sherwood has dismissed such rumors and it looks highly unlikely that they would sign any new players for those roles.

In the defensive department, JulianAi??Lescott has fallen down the pecking order in Man City’s Manuel Pellegriniai??i??s roster. If rumours of the Daily Mail are to be believed, Tottenham are preparing to take theAi??Englishman on a loan deal. With Dawsonai??i??s poor performances and Younes Kaboul linked to move out, Lescott would be apt for the Spurs squad if they can beat Newcastle for his signature. Spurs might continue their pursuit for a left back Fabio Coentrao or might resort to ideas such as recalling Benoit Assou-Ekotto from QPR or sign Manchester Unitedai??i??s Alexander Buttner.

Sherwood however has stated (according to sportsreview.com):

ai???Weai??i??re not looking for any players at the moment. Weai??i??re just looking in that treatment room and trying to see if it can empty a little bit. And when it does, we can assess what we need and what we might need.ai???

And this, definitely seems like a sensible decision.

Tottenham: What We Can Expect From The Club in the Winter Transfer Window?

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