Ranking Tottenham Hotspur's Top 5 Players for November 2015

Three London derbies, two group-defining Europa League matches and a Monday night game that kicked off the crowded week that began it all. Tottenham Hotspur's November had plenty going on, with the 2015-16 season heating up as the weather got colder.

Eight points from those four Premier League games and advancement in Europe was a more-than-solid return as the collective spirit of Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham shone in some big games.

Picking out the squad's best performers during this period is as challenging as any month in the club's recent history (certainly in the current boss' reign). The following rankings of Spurs' top five players for November attempts to name the select few who have represented the strong run of form particularly well.

All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

5. Kyle Walker

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Kyle Walker finishes off West Ham with an excellent curling effort with the outside of his boot.

The misplaced pass that led to Manuel Lanzini scoring a consolation goal for West Ham United in their 4-1 defeat to Tottenham was an unfortunate mark on Kyle Walker's day. A few minutes earlier, he had struck a sublime goal with the outside of his boot that looked to have capped a solid afternoon's work marshalling his flank.

Anyone barely tracking the right-back of late may have interpreted the mistake as evidence sloppier tendencies in his game remain an issue (poor focus being the main criticism of his game prior to his recent injury layoffs). Really, it was just a bad-luck moment he almost rectified getting back, only for Lanzini to skillfully find a way past.

Walker has been as diligent as anyone in a Spurs defence increasingly looking among the Premier League's more formidable back lines. Combined with the athleticism with which he made his name as a player, his improved concentration has made him a harder opponent to get beyond.

Kieran Gibbs' equaliser in the north London derby came on Walker's outside, but the Spurs man was caught between inclinations. He and Toby Alderweireld were left to deal with three prospective Arsenal targets for Mesut Ozil's cross, limiting their ability to stop any of them. Their team-mates engulfing the German out left without doing anything to stop him.

It said plenty about Walker's display that Arsenal needed to attack the opposite flank. The Gunners had little joy coming in via his side.

4. Toby Alderweireld

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Toby Alderweireld made a crucial intervention to stop Pedro giving Chelsea the lead.

How well Alderweireld has been playing of late is summed up by how he dominated West Ham's attack without making a successful tackle (his one attempt being a foul on Diafra Sakho out right).

The centre-back outsmarted the Hammers with impeccable timing and judgement. When they managed to break through or negate Spurs' oppressive closing-down further forward—often via a long ball—Alderweireld was there to send it straight back.

He made 11 clearances, as tallied by Squawka, but there were also occasions when he read things so well he just stepped back and let it fall at his feet. In possession, the only passes that then went awry were the more ambitious and tricky. Although capable of superb long-range delivery (one cross-fielder to Danny Rose against Chelsea was particularly excellent), it is in his increasingly embracing the simple things that is representative of Alderweireld's importance to Spurs.

Tottenham's defenders are impressing because of the minimal fuss with which they are going about their job. Alongside Jan Vertonghen centrally, and combining with Walker out right, Alderweireld's composure and sound positioning has been integral to the back line working as a unit.

Things still go wrong occasionally. But when they did in November, as at times in the last week against Qarabag and Chelsea, it was Alderweireld most frequently on hand to clean up the situation.

3. Harry Kane

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Harry Kane takes the applause of the White Hart Lane crowd after another stunning performance saw off West Ham.

Harry Kane rediscovering his goalscoring form has not been a surprise.

Anyone who watched him finish with such range and conviction throughout 2014-15 will have known those looking to label him a one-season wonder were talking out of their backsides. You do not score the goals he did (pick any of the 30-plus he did) for just being lucky.

Still, there were points up until October when it felt like a game or two off would have done him good. Either just for the rest, or as to give him the little boost needed to get back in the team and refocus his efforts.

As it has turned out, the veritable palate-cleanser that was his close-range hat-trick against Bournemouth late in that month has been all Kane has needed.

Since then, he has sealed Spurs' win against Aston Villa and reinforced his big-game credentials with the opener at Arsenal. The brace versus West Ham once again demonstrated the impressive range of his finishing, while important goals against Anderlecht and Qarabag have helped the team progress in the Europa League.

Kane's contributions to the overall team effort have not dipped either.

Crediting his side's improvement keeping opponents out this season to his players' work ethic, Pochettino highlighted the England international as an example following the defeat of West Ham. "Today you can see [in] the game how Harry Kane—this is our striker—worked hard to try to recover the ball."

As good as these aspects of his game are, too, Pochettino will be glad to have Kane scoring again.

2. Dele Alli

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Dele Alli earned big plaudits for his mature performance in the north London derby.

Speaking a few days after Dele Alli had scored in his first England start against France, Pochettino was understandably keen to urge caution with the young midfielder.

"I think that we need to be careful with him because a lot of thing change in his mind now, in his reality," the head coach said in his pre-West Ham press conference.

Yet, questioned about Alli a few days later after another strong performance from the teenager in the defeat of the Hammers, Pochettino could not hide his excitement for the player's quality and potential. Even reiterating the need to be careful with him as he discussed a booking that would lead to his player missing the Chelsea game, he could not help but smile as he described the summer arrival's "strong character" and the "fight inside him."

Alli still has plenty to prove. Half a good season in the top-flight and a handful of confident international displays do not make him a star.

Still, you cannot fail to have been impressed with him.

The way he engaged Arsenal in the north London derby spoke of his confidence and courage. Away at Qarabag, he played with similar gusto but also with maturity. He drove his team on in search of the winner that would qualify his team for the next round.

Playing in a more attacking role in November, he is already looking an integral part of Spurs' advances forward. His movement and all-round vibrancy was missed against Chelsea, while his well-taken goal against Aston Villa—popping up and finishing smartly on the edge of the area—shows just what a threat is.

1. Mousa Dembele

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Mousa Dembele may have cemented his place in the Tottenham team thanks to a superb November for the midfielder.

"I think that always when you made the effort that we showed today, and the maturity, I think you need to feel very happy for your players," Pochettino said following Tottenham's 0-0 draw with Chelsea. "But [we are] a little bit disappointed because we only got one point.”

There was no-one more than Mousa Dembele who deserved for Spurs to get the win. The midfielder was excellent once again in a month that has to rank as one of, if not the best in his north London stay.

Dembele took the game to the Blues as much as he could from a central-midfield station that required discipline maintaining the shape that would ensure his defence was well protected. When they did look to break through the Spurs lines, the Belgium international was on hand more than once to hunt them down.

The numbers for his effort were mighty impressive. Per Squawka, Dembele won 100 per cent of his tackles, made six timely interceptions and was successful in all four of his attempted take-ons.

Those tallies do not account for the several times he maintained possession in what looked a sticky spot. Holding off Chelsea players with immovable balance, strength and wonderful dribbling.

This was one match, but you could apply such praise and superlatives to any of his November displays.

Dembele showed reawakened attacking confidence, giving Spurs the lead against Aston Villa and scoring the vital winner versus Anderlecht. Occupying a more defensive role in subsequent games, he battled terrifically at Arsenal and then bossed the midfield at home to West Ham.

Dembele is Tottenham's player of November, and if he carries on at this rate, he could well be their player of the season.