Reasons Why Tottenham Have No Need to Panic in the 2015 January Transfer Window
Tottenham Hotspur have begun the busy festive period in the best possible way. Three wins in the space of seven days has their season alive and well in late December.
The same could not have been said last season, when a League Cup quarter-final defeat came immediately after the 5-0 defeat to Liverpool that cost Andre Villas-Boas his job.
With the January transfer window, Mauricio Pochettino has the opportunity to address the weaknesses in his squad and push on from what is a strong position.
Spurs remain in contention for the eternal goal of Champions League football, and though they remain outsiders, a shrewd transfer window could be the key to Spurs finally breaking back into Europe's most exclusive club.
However, Pochettino must remain impervious to the temptations to bring in numerous new players or even sell too many.
The team is growing and some players have shown their fundamental limitations, but Pochettino and Spurs must avoid making rash decisions in the winter transfer window.
Learning from Tim Sherwood's Success
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In 2013, Spurs faced Christmas with their season in ruins. Tim Sherwood, appointed in the aftermath of the Liverpool debacle, refused to spend heavily during the transfer window.
Instead, he made small changes to the team, loosened AVB's tactical restrictions and, benefiting from more than his share of fortune, saw the team rise steadily up the table.
Mauricio Pochettino must take the obvious lesson from Sherwood's success and take a light touch in January.
Signing a host of new players will upset the balance of the dressing room and the delicate chemistry that has begun to emerge in Spurs' first team.
If Spurs were to push "all out" for a player such as Jackson Martinez, as Portuguese paper Record has reported (h/t Metro), it would be an intelligent move that would strengthen Spurs in their most debilitating weak spot.
It is clear that neither Roberto Soldado nor Emmanuel Adebayor are currently the answer. It is possible they never will be, and despite Harry Kane's emergence as a viable option, he is not capable of carrying the load himself.
That sort of shrewd transfer would help Spurs improve without damaging the emerging team spirit.
Sherwood made no signings in January last season. Pochettino would be better served following that example than acquiesce to the arrival of several new players.
Pochettino's Methods Are Not Conducive to New Arrivals
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In November, Christian Eriksen admitted that Spurs' players were still struggling to understand Mauricio Pochettino's instructions.
After the recent 2-1 win over Swansea, the Danish midfielder argued that the high fitness levels due to Pochettino's excellent physical preparation were playing their part in Spurs consistently picking up late winners.
These two factors, the complexity of Pochettino's instructions and the fitness levels he demands, make Spurs particularly poorly suited to a January transfer binge.
Spurs have only recently started to take the shape that was expected of them when Pochettino was appointed in the summer.
His players have had months to learn how they fit into his system and reach the necessary fitness levels. Any potential new signings Spurs make in January will be at a huge disadvantage and could struggle to compete.
The Academy Is Thriving
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Mauricio Pochettino recently stated that Spurs' academy is better than that at his previous club, Southampton.
Pochettino told The Telegraph that the quality of the facilities had been one of the major attractions to him. "It was one of the main reasons I decided to come here. The opportunity to work with this club’s academy was fantastic. I think it is the best in England, maybe even Europe."
The progress that Harry Kane, Nabil Bentaleb and Ryan Mason have made this season is testament to that belief.
Pochettino went on to explain that he had chosen academy players instead of signing alternatives during his time at Southampton. That should be his focus at Spurs too.
It is far simpler and far cheaper to fill a hole in the squad with a young player than signing a replacement. If Spurs suffer an injury crisis at a particular position, Pochettino can promote a talented youngster and give him his opportunity.
The 16-year-old Ismail Azzaoui has been exciting many Spurs fans with his exploits in the academy, recently scoring a delightful hat-trick.
Azzaoui is just one of the talented young players that Pochettino has at his disposal. Seventeen-year-old Josh Onomah is a player who fans have been desperate to see get his opportunity, while Shaquile Coulthirst is a relative senior citizen at 20.
If Pochettino genuinely believes that Spurs' academy is among the best in England and Europe, now is the time to show it.
Buying new players is a gamble, while promoting capable youngsters is much more of a sure thing.
Kane's status as the most popular member of the Spurs team among supporters right now also shows another benefit of promoting from within. The fans are much more excited by a talented local boy than a player brought in from elsewhere.
The Players Are Simply Not Available
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January is renowned as a difficult time to buy. It is rare that a player worth pursuing is available in the middle of the season.
Spurs' apparent pursuit of Porto's Jackson Martinez is unusual, given he is their most important attacking player and central to their ongoing Champions League campaign.
Tottenham reportedly tried to sign Sergio Aguero in the January transfer window in 2011. Without the striker they so desperately needed, Spurs fell agonisingly short of fourth place. In 2012, Louis Saha was picked up on a free transfer but failed to deliver as Spurs once again missed their target—albeit because of Chelsea's triumph in that season's Champions League.
It is exceptionally difficult to find the right players in January, far more so than in the summer. Clubs are more amenable to losing their stars during pre-season.
Occasionally, a shrewd signing can be made. Chelsea's purchase of Nicolas Anelka in 2008 sparked a resurgence in form that ended with a Champions League final appearance.
The impact of Spurs' signing of Eidur Gudjohnsen in 2010 cannot be understated, either. The Icelandic forward played a pivotal role in Spurs securing Champions League football.
Players such as Gudjohnsen and Anelka are the exceptions though.
Consider Fernando Torres' January move to Chelsea and Andy Carroll's subsequent transfer to Liverpool. Both were panic signings and neither worked out for the buying club.
Spurs would do well to steer clear of January signings altogether, unless they are certain that they have found their man.
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