What Will Be Tottenham Hotspur's Strongest Defence in the 2015/16 Season?

Tottenham Hotspur's defence has been a major weakness for the last two seasons. 

The appointment of Mauricio Pochettino, who presided over notably tight defences at Southampton and Espanyol, was expected to add some starch, but they conceded as many goals (53) as relegated Burnley. 

Spurs' defence has struggled to keep opposition strikers at bay for many reasons. 

It is partly down to Pochettino's approach. 

His insistence on playing Nabil Bentaleb and Ryan Mason, both attack-minded players, in central midfield along with defence-shy wingers like Nacer Chadli means there is little support for the back line. 

With Pochettino having eschewed the Benjamin Stambouli and Etienne Capoue duo last season, there was no pure "destroyer" available for selection. Opposition attacks too often broke through Spurs' centre, a weak point that is yet to be addressed in this summer's transfer window.

The full-backs are also asked to carry a significant share of the attacking load in Pochettino's team, meaning they are often not in the ideal defensive positions. 

As a result, Spurs' central defensive pairing is routinely exposed. 

The tactical side of the equation is important but so, too, is the selection of personnel. 

Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press

Injuries and poor form made it difficult for Spurs to field their ideal back four often last season. 

It was difficult to discern at times, but Spurs' most often utilised defence was Danny Rose at left-back, Jan Vertonghen and Federico Fazio in the centre and Eric Dier on the right flank. 

Ideally, Kyle Walker would have been available, but his disastrous injury problems did afford Dier more opportunities to play in his first season than would have otherwise been the case. 

The summer's transfer activity has been largely focused on improving the defence.

Toby Alderweireld, a centre-back who is more than capable at playing right-back, Kieran Trippier, an attacking right-back, and Kevin Wimmer, a central defender, have all joined the club. 

The sale of Younes Kaboul—confirmed yesterday by the club—has also helped to simplify things. There are now five senior central defenders in the squad, as well as Vlad Chiriches, who is likely to depart before the season begins. 

There are also two each of right and left full-backs, as well as DeAndre Yedlin, who will likely make a loan move in order to gain experience.

Spurs now possess enough first-team quality players to form a full starting defence and reserve back line. That strength in depth is crucial to their Champions League aspirations. 

The composition of Spurs' strongest defence is sure to create debate among fans and commentators. 

Rose is an absolute certainty at left-back. Ben Davies will improve on last season's showing and challenge Rose more effectively, but the Englishman was one of Spurs' finest performers last season and is assured of his place to begin the season. 

Having begun his career as a winger, Rose provides a genuine attacking threat getting forward while the defensive side of his game continues to blossom. 

Rob Griffith/Associated Press

After dealing with injury problems in 2013/14, Rose was back to his old-school best last season. 

His full-on tackling style is a throwback, but he has tempered his aggression with experience and is one of the Premier League's finest left-backs. 

Moving inside to left centre-back, Vertonghen is another virtual certainty. The Belgian is, at his best, a superb player in both defence and attack, but he has struggled for consistency in recent years. 

Vertonghen will assuredly get the first opportunity to play in his preferred position, but there will be great competition for that place. 

Alderweireld is the likely partner to Vertonghen in the middle of the back line. 

Former Ajax partners, the Belgian duo have played more football together than any of Spurs' other options. 

Chemistry and familiarity are so important to a central defensive pairing. Alderweireld and Vertonghen have that and more; they'll form the strongest possible core for Spurs. 

Right-back will be the most contested position in Spurs' defence. Kieran Trippier lacks the international pedigree of his team-mate and rival Kyle Walker, but the ex-Burnley man is an excellent full-back. 

Trippier's attacking contribution for the Clarets has become a well-worn topic of conversation among Spurs fans, but it bears repeating that he was their most important player going forward. 

He did not join Spurs to become a highly paid substitute and will expect to push for first-team selection, but, fitness permitting, Walker will remain first-choice. 

Walker's strength and speed are astonishing, and he is excellent with the ball at his feet. A solid defender, he is capable of mistakes but is brilliant in full-flight. 

Trippier is a more-than-capable deputy to Walker should his injury troubles return. 

This leaves a defensive line of Rose-Vertonghen-Alderweireld-Walker and means that Dier and Fazio, first-teamers last season, will be reserves for the coming season. 

Tottenham's supporters will be disappointed if Dier is relegated to a reserve role, but his youth and inexperience mean that he will benefit from some time out of the firing line. It is better for Dier, and for Spurs, that he gets opportunities to play often, but participation in the Europa League and domestic cups should suffice for the early part of the coming season. 

There are also a host of exciting youngsters who could see first-team action during the campaign, but the key point is that Spurs' defensive unit is now as strong as any of their fourth-place rivals.

Spurs' defence struggled last season in different ways. 

Being exposed by the midfield can make any defender look out of his depth. 

Players like John Terry and Per Mertesacker have looked totally inept when not catered to by the system they are playing in, and that was partly at work last season. 

More important, though, was the lack of individual quality and the prevalence of unacceptable individual errors. 

The sale of Kaboul is a response to his failures on the pitch. The departure of Chiriches will be the same. 

Fazio's difficulties in adjusting to the Premier League, where he is no longer the biggest and strongest player on most pitches—as he was in Spain—also saw him making uncharacteristic mistakes. He was not helped by the revolving door of out-of-position emergency right-backs like Dier and Chiriches. 

Spurs have raised the overall quality of their defence and improved depth in specific areas, meaning that every player should benefit. 

If Fazio is called into action next season, he will almost certainly have a natural full-back on his right and an experienced senior player on his left. This creates a more comfortable situation for him to play at his best. 

That Vertonghen will be able to look to his long-term team-mate Alderweireld will be a similar comfort. 

Ultimately, the specific composition of Spurs' strongest back-four matters less than the fact that Pochettino will be able to call on nine players of genuine international quality and is no longer forced to rely on liabilities like Chiriches, Kyle Naughton and Kaboul. 

Tottenham's defence has improved tremendously in this transfer window.