Tottenham Hotspur vs. New York Red Bulls: 5 Questions That Need Answering

Tottenham is in the middle of its preseason tour, and the results so far have provided more questions than answers.

Why can't Spurs score despite Andre Villas-Boas installing higher-tempo tactics than ever before? How do Sandro and Scott Parker fit into Villas-Boas' plans? When will we get to see the starting defensive back line on the pitch together?

Spurs are playing the New York Red Bulls on Tuesday night, and a handful of questions are still swirling. What are they?

Join me as I present the five questions we hope get answered as Tottenham travels to play New York.

Does Tottenham Need Adebayor?

He scored 17 goals and assisted on 11 more—accounting for more than 42 percent of Spurs' goals last season—but so far Daniel Levy and the rest of the front office haven't budged on giving Emmanuel Adebayor the £170,000 per week that ESPN is reporting it'll take sign him.

So far this preseason, Tottenham has scored three goals—slightly less than the high-tempo tactics of Andre Villas-Boas should yield.

Do Spurs need to pony up and buy a legitimate centre-forward like Adebayor, or do they have one in their ranks? If they don't score against New York, it could very well be the former.

...And Lloris?

I've said it 100 times, but I'll make it 101: Brad Friedel has Father Time in a headlock.

The 41-year-old American keeper is going strong into his 18th professional season and is showing no signs of letting up.

A number of athletic saves on Saturday against Liverpool showed he is still one of the best between the posts. If he finishes the preseason as well as he's started it, Spurs might be able to save a year's salary for a world-class goalkeeper like Hugo Lloris.

Is Bale Okay?

Over the weekend, Gareth Bale took a nasty spill thanks to a Charlie Adam challenge from behind. He was down on the pitch for several minutes and all signs pointed to him leaving the match.

But after a little bit with the trainers, the Welsh winger was back and still running circles around Liverpool's midfielders.

You could hear North London's collective exhale from here.

Against New York, Bale will have another chance to test his hamstring and give fans one less thing to worry about.

When Will Parker Be Back?

The ease at which Liverpool kept possession in Spurs' third of the pitch on Saturday was pathetic. Villas-Boas' tactics call for a player to support the centre-backs and disrupt possession.

With Sandro on Brazil's squad for the Summer Olympics, Scott Parker is the only true defensive midfielder on Tottenham's roster.

Parker won't be back against New York, and we may see the Red Bulls exploit the same weakness Liverpool did—prompting all of us to hope for the English international's speedy recovery.

How Do Vertonghen and Kaboul Play Together?

Of three preseason matches, Jan Vertonghen has only started one match alongside fellow centre-back Younes Kaboul. The only other match he's seen the field at all was Saturday against Liverpool when he only played out the last 12 minutes.

Villas-Boas needs to see how his £9 million man plays in the starting back line, and he needs to do it quickly.

The Red Bulls of New York will provide the perfect test for Tottenham's centre-backs. They have the second-most scores in MLS and a fierce attack led by Kenny Cooper and Thierry Henry, who have combined for 24 goals so far this season.