3 Biggest Concerns for Tottenham Hotspur's Fans in 2015-16 Season so Far
Tottenham Hotspur fans who made the journey to the Emirates Stadium for last Sunday's north London derby did not leave with the bragging rights it momentarily looked they would. Harry Kane had given their team a first-half lead against Arsenal, but the match-sealing second goal was to prove elusive.
In the bigger picture of Tottenham's 2015-16 season so far, a point away at their table-topping rivals is not to be sniffed at. The 1-1 draw keeps them in fifth, with opportunities to generate some serious post-international break momentum arriving in the form of home derbies against West Ham United and Chelsea.
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There is more to be optimistic about than not for the White Hart Lane faithful.
However, even in a mostly positive north London derby, there were reminders of a few concerns that still linger around Mauricio Pochettino's team.
Striker Shortage?
Kane's confidently taken opener vs. Arsenal was his sixth goal in four matches.
After scoring just once in 13 preceding club appearances, the striker's hat-trick in the 5-1 away win at Bournemouth was the veritable palate-cleanser he needed. His penalty kick and two tap-ins will not rank among his greatest strikes, but they did the job in finding the scoring touch that had deserted him.
"You have to wait for your chances, keep working hard, keep trying to improve and the rewards will hopefully come your way," a relieved Kane told Tottenham's official website after. His team-mates were seemingly never in doubt, praising his sustained work ethic in the meantime.
"He kept working, kept doing the same things he did before, we all knew the goals would start coming and that’s what has happened," Eric Dier said, also to the Spurs website.
His team-mate Jan Vertonghen was in full agreement: "Some strikers don’t score and do nothing for the team but Harry has been outstanding for us."
As hard as Kane kept working, there were concerns over the team's lack of firepower during his dry spell.
It was initially made up for by summer signing Heung-Min Son.
The South Korean demonstrated his own scoring touch with a brace in the Europa League defeat of Qarabag and then with his winner versus Crystal Palace. Leading the line in the former game, his displays gave hope Spurs would not be toothless without Kane in the lineup or if he were to continue struggling in front of goal.
Son's subsequent injury layoff served to highlight the precariousness of a situation in which Kane is the squad's only proven Premier League-ready striker.
Spurs' other summer recruit in this department, Clinton Njie, got his most substantial playing time yet against Liverpool and Anderlecht. Lively in the 0-0 draw with the Reds, there were some tantalising glimpses of the threat his speed and skill provides.
Covering for a rested Kane out in Belgium, Njie's tentative offering in the 2-1 defeat was perhaps evidence he is better suited to a supporting attacking role with less responsibility. At least while he adjusts to a new club, country and league.
Things are looking rosier for Tottenham in the final third now Kane is revitalised. It's a development head coach Mauricio Pochettino will hope keeps his team competitive while allowing Njie and Son the time and freedom to continue their integration into his system.
But the uncertainty of what doing without one or more of them will mean to the team—particularly if Kane were to miss any games—will be a worry Spurs will not be able to shake until the January transfer window.
Confidence Finishing Opponents Off
Of course, Tottenham excelling in or surviving certain situations is not just about their front men delivering. (As seen in the above training clip, others are getting in shooting practice, too).
Their excellent 4-1 win over Manchester City saw timely scoring contributions from Dier and Toby Alderweireld change the course of the game, with Erik Lamela wrapping things up late on. Christian Eriksen rescued a point at Swansea City with two clever free-kicks. Danny Rose created Kane's opener at Arsenal with a superb through ball.
The feeling remains that Spurs, even with Kane fit and in form, are still a team figuring out how they can be more confident finishing their opponents off.
Recent weeks have seen them reiterate how capable they are of hurting teams.
The intensity of their pressing and engagement of Arsenal was something to behold at times. Collectively so on that occasion, against both Anderlecht and Aston Villa earlier in the week it was seen more notably in individuals taking responsibility—best typified by both of Mousa Dembele's powerful, urgent goals in each game.
At Bournemouth, they made good use of the wide areas. Going further back into the camapign's opening months, you can pick out further examples of the increased conviction with which Spurs are going forward now under Pochettino (again, see the Palace and Manchester City victories).
However, there is still a tentativeness about Spurs at times that, if left unaddressed, could be the difference between them enjoying a good or a great season.
Two-nil up against Villa, they eased up after the interval and saw their clear dominance give way and Jordan Ayew pull a goal back for the visitors. A nervy period ensued before Kane's stoppage-time goal settled the nerves.
For all their aggressiveness in winning the ball off Arsenal, the Lilywhites were less sure of themselves when it came to deciding what to do with it.
Belief in their ability to pick the right pass or make the run that would create space for a team-mate receded as the home side continued to defend stubbornly and Spurs' own tiredness set in. Their tremendous effort in their third game of the week submitted to a fatigue-induced loss of concentration that, in part, led to Kieran Gibbs' eventual equaliser.
Things have improved since Spurs began the season with three draws from four games (the other result a tame attempt to equalise away at a Manchester United side who were hardly overpowering them).
It may be the case the desired winning rhythm will naturally develop during the uninterrupted period of the campaign that now follows the last international break until spring.
But whether it is through tactical adjustments or concentrated attempts at identifying related psychological deficiencies, Pochettino will know it is just about all his team is lacking right now.
Schedule Burdens Moving Forward
Tottenham will be confident of making the most of an upcoming busy schedule that gets under way with the visit of West Ham United next week. In recent seasons, they have used the regular games to establish momentum that propelled them into, or within touching distance of, the Premier League’s top four.
With no upheaval in the coaching department and less among the playing staff, Spurs have started much brighter than in any of those campaigns. Sustaining their current consistency through the period could obviously prove even more beneficial in fulfilling their year’s ambitions.
Even though it is technically ahead, the concern over whether Spurs can remain in good shape into the home stretch is very much rooted in the past and present.
This team is looking like it will be even younger than the one that tired last February—the pressure and workload of domestic cup and league duties, as well as European ones, proved too much.
Young legs and minds may be more conducive to inspiring the vigorous effort Pochettino did in his side against Arsenal. But the final 20 minutes of that draw was a reminder energy can diminish in even the fittest of teams.
Maintaining the relentlessness of Spurs’ strongest work so far this season should see them continue to hold their own against, and perhaps even better, the Premier League’s best.
But it remains to be seen whether they have an acceptable plan B to fall back on when this does not work or the energy is not there. Tottenham will need to learn to be smarter at both ends of the pitch if they are to make it through to springtime relatively unscathed.
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