4 Areas for Nacer Chadli to Improve on with Tottenham Next Season

Nacer Chadli's first season at Tottenham was largely one to forget. 

He struggled to fit in under Andre Villas-Boas, improving somewhat when Tim Sherwood took charge but was generally lumped in with the likes of Etienne Capoue and Roberto Soldado, as part of the failed 2013 summer transfer splurge. 

Year 2 saw major improvements in Chadli's performances, as he scored 10 goals and made five more in 29 appearances on Spurs' left flank (via WhoScored). 

By season's end, Chadli was a fixture out wide and a reliable source of goals. 

He had begun to exceed the expectations he had failed to reach in his first 12 months in England. 

A dominant figure in the Dutch Eredivisie, he took his time to settle, but he is now an important part of Spurs' burgeoning team. 

How can he improve in the coming campaign? 

Being Consistent

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Chadli made a great start to the 2014/15 season with a brace in the 4-0 demolition of QPR in August.

He followed that up with four more goals by November 9 but scored just one additional goal in the league before March. 

Personal tragedy struck Chadli in the middle of his break-out season, and his dip in form is more than understandable in that context. 

He added three more goals in Spurs' season's meandering denouement, but he lacked the dynamism that marked him out in early games. He also failed to add an assist after January 10. 

His multi-faceted skillset demands greater output.  

If the death of his father was at the root of his form slump, he can hardly be blamed. 

Saying that, his target in the coming campaign will be to leave his mark on games more often. 

Delivering on the Biggest Occasions

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Only Harry Kane scored more goals for Spurs than Chadli last season. 

He scored in three of four competitions, only failing to leave his mark on the Europa League. 

Unfortunately, Chadli was unable to deliver in the biggest moments. 

When Spurs travelled to Florence in the second leg of their Europa League round of 32 match against Fiorentina, Chadli played but was unable to turn the tie around. 

At Wembley, when Spurs met their old rivals Chelsea in the League Cup Final, Chadli again struggled. 

It wasn't that he was anonymous in those games; instead, they were two of his worst outings in a Spurs shirt. 

Chadli took great strides in his second campaign with Tottenham. 

If he is to continue on that trajectory, he must begin to dominate when his team needs him most. 

Putting His Stature to Greater Use

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Nacer Chadli is a big man. 

At 6'2" and 12.5 stone, he can match it with any player in the Premier League when it comes to his physical dimensions. 

Chadli does not play like a big man. 

He should be able to consistently bully opposition full-backs with his combination of power and pace but is too often himself the victim of strong defenders. 

If Chadli is to continue to blossom at Tottenham, he must take his game to the next level. 

In order to that, he will need start exposing his opposite number with the technical mismatch. 

Chadli's strength and speed are also vitally important from a tactical perspective. 

At FC Twente, Chadli was occasionally deployed as a centre-forward. It is not his strength, but he can be very effective in this role. 

His ability to transition into a centre-forward when the situation demands it makes him a far greater asset. 

He and Harry Kane overload the opposition defence and create goalscoring situations for each other. 

Chadli's versatility also allows Kane to drop deeper and adopt the playmaking role in which he excels.

Spurs are growing under Mauricio Pochettino. 

Nacer Chadli's improvement from his first season mirrored that of his team.

They will continue to improve in the coming season. If Chadli is to match them again, he must begin to make greater use of his impressive physical attributes. 

Contributing off the Ball

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As part of a Mauricio Pochettino team, Chadli has as much responsibility without the ball as he does when in possession. 

He has generally failed to adequately contribute in defensive phases, and this leaves the team off-balance and exposed. 

If Chadli does not press effectively or track back when required, it pulls other players out of position and creates holes. 

Given that Spurs' midfield lacks any real physical presence, it is imperative that their team defends as a unit. 

They cannot afford to have Chadli relinquish his defensive responsibilities. 

Last season, Chadli was unlikely to be dropped because of his usefulness in front of goal, but if Spurs can find a comparable wide player with greater discipline, he could find himself relegated to the role of substitute. 

Spurs' right flank is instructive. 

Andros Townsend and Erik Lamela have been similarly effective in attacking phases, but Lamela is preferred in the Premier League because of his greater understanding and ability in defence. 

Chadli must beware of that example.