The 2023/24 Premier League season will begin later this week and here at The Hard Tackle, we assess the prospects of Tottenham Hotspur next season.
Tottenham had a disappointing 2022/23 campaign, as they finished eighth in the league table. They will not be involved in any European competition and will be desperate to make amends next year. Antonio Conte was relieved of his duties towards the end of last season, and Spurs have decided to bring in a more permanent appointment to this summer.
Former Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has taken charge of the North London club and he will look to get them firing on all cylinders once again. Tottenham will hope to challenge for domestic trophies and finish in the top four next season.
Missing out on Champions League football has certainly come as a devastating blow to Tottenham’s finances and the ability to attract the top players. It remains to be seen whether they can get back into the top four once again.
The Prelude
Spurs are expected to embark on a new adventure under their Australian manager Ange Postecoglou. The recent Tottenham managers have been heavily criticised for their conservative approach over the years, especially Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte.
However, the Australian tactician prefers a free-flowing attacking approach, and his style was lauded during his time at Celtic. Tottenham fans have already been left excited with his gameplay during pre-season, and it will be interesting to see if Tottenham can translate that into results in the Premier League next year.
Spurs have a squad packed with talented attacking players, and Postecoglou’s approach seems tailor-made for them. Tottenham are now working to plug the major weaknesses in their squad, and they will look to start the season on a high with a win over Brentford on Sunday.
One of the major weaknesses Tottenham had last season was their ability to prevent goals. They ended up conceding 63 goals in the league, and Tottenham must look to address that problem before the new season begins.
In addition to that, holding on to star striker Harry Kane for the upcoming season will be one of their main priorities. Spurs will need their best players in order to return to the Champions League and Kane is certainly an indispensable asset.
Squad Update
Tottenham have a hugely-talented squad at their disposal, and they severely underperformed under Antonio Conte last season. There is no doubt that they have a squad capable of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League and competing for domestic trophies. It will be interesting to see if Postecoglou can get the best out of his players.
The Australian has a reputation of extracting the most out of his squad. And if he can do that at Tottenham, they might just be able to end their prolonged wait for trophies. Spurs needed to replace their star goalkeeper Hugo Lloris this summer after his indifferent performances last season.
They have done that with the signing of Guglielmo Vicario, and the Italian is expected to be a key player for them in the coming seasons. In the defence, they need to bring in quality central defenders who can partner with Cristian Romero and help them tighten up defensively.
They have already pulled off the signings of talented young English defender Ashley Phillips and Dutch centre-back Micky van de Ven. It will be interesting to see if they decide to sign another central defender before the summer window closes.
Tottenham are likely to part ways with players like Joe Rodon, Davinson Sanchez and Japhet Tanganga. Tottenham need more depth in their defence and another central defensive signing would be ideal.
In the midfield, Tottenham will have to replace Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg if the Denmark international leaves the club. He has been linked with an exit in recent weeks. There are rumours that he does not fit Postecoglou’s current style of play, and Tottenham could look to cash in on him.
Spurs lacked creativity and goals from the central areas in their midfield last season, and the arrival of James Maddison should address that problem. The former Leicester City midfielder will add technical ability, flair and set-piece prowess to the squad.
Tottenham should look to bring in a reliable goalscorer to support the likes of Kane and Son Heung-min as well. Richarlison has proven to be a disappointing signing, while the newly-signed South American forward Alejo Veliz is only 19 and might not be able to hit the ground running in the Premier League.
Key Fixtures
The North London giants will begin their Premier League campaign on Sunday against Brentford, and they will be hoping to make a good start. They will host Manchester United at home next week, and a victory in their first two matches would give them an immense confidence leap.
September is a crucial period for Tottenham as well, as they will take on Arsenal and Liverpool in back-to-back matches. A positive start will be crucial to Tottenham’s hopes of finishing in the Champions League positions. Early December looks like a tricky period for Postecoglou’s side with the team taking on Manchester City, West Ham United and Newcastle United in consecutive matches.
Our #PL fixtures for the 2023/24 campaign have landed 🛬 pic.twitter.com/7IIDtVTFXm
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) June 15, 2023
While Tottenham are perfectly capable of beating teams like West Ham and Newcastle, they are tricky banana skin fixtures and the north London outfit will have to be fully focused. Tottenham have been handed a difficult end to the season, and they will face the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool in a space of two weeks towards the end of the season in April and May.
The journey towards the UEFA Champions League finish will certainly not be easy for Spurs, especially in the middle of a transition. But Tottenham have the quality and resources to turn the tide in their favour.
Key Players
Harry Kane
The 30-year-old England international is one of the best players in the world, and he has been a consistent goalscorer for Tottenham over the years. Kane managed to score 32 goals across all competitions last season, and he is undoubtedly going to be Tottenham’s main asset next season as well.
It will be interesting to see if Tottenham can convince him to stay at the club despite links with Bayern Munich. They will need his goal-scoring ability and consistency in order to match up to their top-four rivals next season. Kane is also more than just a goalscorer, and his playmaking abilities will prove to be vital for Tottenham.
James Maddison
Tottenham were overly reliant on Harry Kane for goals and creativity last season. The England international will be desperate for someone to share his burden. Maddison is a proven performer in the Premier League, and he will be looking to make his mark at a big club now.
The 26-year-old England international will help create goalscoring opportunities for Tottenham and he will chip in with goals himself. The former Leicester City midfielder has scored a total of 30 goals in his last three Premier League campaigns, and he could provide Kane with some much-needed help in the final third.
His arrival will also reduce the pressure on players like Son and Richarlison. In addition to that, he can be lethal from direct free kicks and that will add a new dimension to Ange Postecoglou’s attack.
Season Expectations
Tottenham have a squad capable of pushing for a top-four finish and winning domestic trophies. However, they are going through a period of transition under a new manager. Key players like Hojbjerg and Kane could leave the club as well. In that case, Spurs will have to rely on new players to deliver the goods and they might need time to adapt.
Signings like Guglielmo Vicario, James Maddison and Micky van de Ven will be expected to make immediate impacts, and it remains to be seen how that unfolds. Postecoglou’s playing style is a stark contract to what Spurs are used to playing under their previous managers and the players might need some to adapt.
An attacking approach could leave them vulnerable to counterattacks and Spurs will have to be careful defensively. With that said, Spurs should still be able to outperform most teams in the league with the quality at their disposal. A top-four finish and a cup run should be possible for the North London outfit next season.
