Ranking Tottenham's Top 5 Players for September
Tottenham Hotspur began September without a league win; unbeaten in their last three games but ruing missed opportunities. Post-transfer window, the club's recruitment policy was being scrutinised in some quarters, too, prompting a detailed rebuttal—per their official website—from both head coach Mauricio Pochettino and, unexpectedly, chairman Daniel Levy.
The month that followed—three Premier League wins with improved performances in each match, a good start in the Europa League and the knowledge a rotated team really should have beaten north London rivals Arsenal in the Capital One Cup—has everyone involved much more optimistic about their prospects.
There has been more to like than dislike in the performances of the squad, but naturally, some displays have stood out more than others. Over the following pages, we rank Tottenham's top five players for September.
In the honourable mentions category is Ryan Mason, who led Spurs to their important, duck-breaking 1-0 win over Sunderland—injuring himself in the process. He's joined by the precocious Dele Alli, with the midfielder looking an increasingly comfortable top-flight performer with every passing week.
First up in the rankings proper, a summer signing who has started his Tottenham career in promising fashion.
5. Heung-Min Son
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#HereComesTheSon was the Tottenham social media team's online greeting, and it has become the subsequent reference point for new signing Heung-Min Son. The Beatles' eponymous classic has not (yet?) caught on as the serenade of choice for fans saluting the South Korean, but the hashtag has proved prescient in anticipating an enjoyably immediate impact from the attacker.
Son's debut away at Sunderland was an understandably hesitant outing. He showed flashes of his enviable footwork and willingness to get off a shot, but he was still familiarising himself with the playing characteristics of his new team-mates.
Ensuing displays have suggested that 62 minutes is about all he needed to get a sufficient idea of things.
The 23-year-old led the line with impressive elan in his home debut against Qarabag in the Europa League, netting twice to cancel out the Azerbaijani side's lead and settle Spurs' early nerves. Although not front-and-centre position-wise, days later against Crystal Palace, he grabbed the headlines with a powerful finish to a match-winning counter-attack.
Although less influential against Manchester City, Son again looked comfortable in Pochettino's latest varied attacking lineup.
"The positional play of today’s forwards means it’s too simplistic to look for goals from any one position," the head coach stated in his earlier mentioned transfer window appraisal, "playing a fluid style means players switch." He will hope Son's early performances are one sign such flexibility will continue to work for Spurs over the course of the campaign.
4. Jan Vertonghen
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After two decidedly iffy games in the middle of the month, Jan Vertonghen finished August in a happier place with his part in the 0-0 draw with Everton. Focused and on the same page, he and the Tottenham defence kept the Toffees' attack largely under wraps.
Two more league clean sheets and a tough, disciplined effort in the 4-1 win over Manchester City later, and the Spurs back-four is looking as good as it has all 2015.
Vertonghen's own improvements have been significant in that progression.
Showing greater concentration and eagerness for his duties, the Belgium international has ably set the tone and adapted perceptively to the different circumstances the defence has faced.
At Sunderland, Vertonghen helped cover for his centre-back partner Toby Alderweireld on a rough day for his compatriot. Against Crystal Palace, he worked hard to maintain Spurs' slender lead. A week later, he performed efficiently as the cornerstone of a commendably organised effort that suffocated City's attack.
3. Hugo Lloris
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For all Vertonghen has done shoring Tottenham up in recent weeks, he is well aware his defence has been aided considerably by the man watching on behind them.
"He is an unbelievable goalkeeper," the defender said of Hugo Lloris to Tottenham's official website.
"It’s difficult for him because most of the game he has nothing to do and out of nothing he makes maybe the best save of his life. That’s why he is a number one goalkeeper. "
Vertonghen might not have been wrong in describing Lloris' finger-tip save to deny Crystal Palace's Bakary Sako and maintain Spurs' 1-0 lead as one of the finest of the captain's career. Sako himself was similarly incredulous discussing the denial of his possible equaliser to his own club's website.
Spurs supporters have become well familiar with Lloris pulling such spectacular stops out of the bag. He produced another to deny Man City's Jesus Navas, one of seven saves—tallied by Tottenham—that laid the foundation for a most impressive win over the expensively assembled title-hopefuls.
Lloris was linked with a transfer to Manchester United throughout the summer, per Ben Jefferson at the Daily Express. His consistently reliable, often spectacular performances will continue to make everyone at Spurs grateful nothing came of the speculation.
2. Erik Lamela
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At the final whistle of Tottenham's win over Manchester City, Pochettino heartily embraced his fellow Argentinian Erik Lamela at the entrance of the tunnel.
A professional handshake had greeted the attacking midfielder's 87th-minute withdrawal. Now the victory was secure, Pochettino could fully congratulate his player on an excellent performance.
Like the White Hart Lane faithful that had given his player a standing ovation minutes earlier, the head coach knew what this display meant and could mean for Lamela. With a well deserved goal, a crucial assist and an all-round exhilarating participation in Spurs' (at times) breathtaking shredding of City's defence, the 23-year-old has delivered a full example of his potential.
After two mixed, often frustrating first two years in England for the player and fans, Lamela's slow start to the season had many doubting his ability to push on in his third season. Over the course of September, he began to show he just needed a little patience as he felt his way into the campaign.
Lamela came off the bench to set up Mason's winner at Sunderland. Things did not flow so smoothly for large periods against Qarabag, but he stuck at it and sealed a 3-1 win that could prove important in Spurs' quest for Europa League qualification.
Days later versus Palace, he battled hard on both sides of the ball, his perseverance in one such instance on the edge of his box starting the winning counter-attack that Son finished.
Lamela still has much to do to show he can be more than just an occasionally eye-pleasing contributor and to prove he can be a key player for Tottenham. But in a season that is make-or-break for his Premier League ambitions, September has provided the best evidence yet he could be on the verge of truly proving his worth.
1. Eric Dier
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Much was hoped for Eric Dier in 2015-16.
In his first season as a Premier League player, he had done well as an option Pochettino frequently called on at right-back and centre-back. There had been some tough days, sure, but for a player who only turned 21 midway through the campaign, he had largely responded well and looked set to build on his experiences.
Few anticipated him doing so in midfield.
Dier had played in the role for Sporting Lisbon, and Pochettino had more than once extolled the virtues of the youngster honing his versatility. Still, it was unexpected to see him line up there in pre-season (if not without reason given the departures of those who previously played the position).
Dier has since gone about making it look a very smart call from his boss.
Growing into the job over the course of August, in the month that followed, he was Tottenham's most consistent performer.
The disciplined anchor of his team's attacking ambitions, Dier has thrived in the thick of the action. His tackling and general strength have provided real bite in midfield, underpinned by lessons of responsibility and positioning picked up throughout his defensive apprenticeship. Helpfully, his excellence in the holding role will allow his more creative team-mates to push on in the knowledge he can cover for them.
In the England under-21 match versus USA preceding this run, it was notable how uncomfortable Dier looked to be playing centre-back again. Passing sloppily and a near-passenger defending his own box, the intermittent involvement that came sitting behind rather than being involved in his side's play seemed to throw him off.
Dier may be needed in defence again for Tottenham, so he will have to find a way to switch back to that mode if required. However, given how well he is doing in midfield, if he continues at this level, Pochettino will be extremely reluctant to move him elsewhere.
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