Ranking Tottenham Hotspur's Top 5 Players for February 2016
February has been another successful month for Tottenham Hotspur.
Seven matches across three competitions ensured Spurs' squad was stretched but not overly so.
Only in the FA Cup, when Crystal Palace snatched a surprise 1-0 win at White Hart Lane, did Mauricio Pochettino's men experience any real disappointment.
Four consecutive Premier League wins, as well as some convenient results elsewhere, saw them rise to outright second with 11 matches remaining, while a 4-1 aggregate triumph over Fiorentina kept the Europa League campaign rolling along.
There have been plenty of standout performers over such a busy period, and some of Spurs' most important players appear to be reaching top form at just the right time.
March will be another tough month, but things look bright for Tottenham.
Nacer Chadli
1 of 5
Nacer Chadli made his return from injury in December but has been in and out of the team as Pochettino wisely attempts to rotate his squad and avoid injury.
That has meant that there has been little opportunity for Chadli to get into rhythm. Not until February did Spurs see the best of last season's second-top goalscorer.
He has been a crucial contributor in a month that could easily have seen their aspirations slip.
His equaliser as a substitute against Swansea City was immensely important. Somewhat fortunate, it was also a touch of genuine class that finally beat the seemingly untouchable Lukasz Fabianski.
When Harry Kane was rested for the Europa League matches against Fiorentina, Chadli stepped in as the centre-forward.
Far from his best position, the Belgium international worked hard to emulate Kane's well-rounded contribution and converted a crucial penalty in the away leg.
His shot rebounded for Erik Lamela to score the second goal in the second leg too, arguably sealing Tottenham's progress.
These were gritty performances rather than showy, far more so than is usually expected of Chadli.
That the Belgian was willing to sacrifice himself for the team is reflective of the ethos that has driven this team to within striking distance of the top of the league.
Kevin Wimmer
2 of 5
The injury suffered by Jan Vertonghen during Tottenham's January win over Crystal Palace could have been a body blow to their title hopes.
The Belgian had formed the division's finest defensive partnership with countryman Toby Alderweireld, and his absence seemed certain to hurt Spurs' league-best defensive record.
Instead, Kevin Wimmer has emerged as an excellent player in his own right and will give Pochettino some pause for thought when Vertonghen returns in late March.
Spurs conceded just four goals in February and have actually improved their average goals conceded to a remarkably mean 0.77 (Premier League only).
Wimmer lacks great pace but anticipates the play well and is stronger in the air than Vertonghen.
The Austrian looks comfortable in both the Premier League and European football despite being a young and relatively inexperienced player.
The 23-year-old has drastically outperformed expectations.
Harry Kane
3 of 5
Harry Kane only scored three goals in February—two of which were penalties—but those numbers simply don't tell the story.
Against Norwich City, the England international was a man possessed and could have scored five with more luck.
Each of Crystal Palace, Swansea City and Watford's goalkeepers produced superb performances against Tottenham in the last month, and all of them would say Kane gave them a trying time.
The forward remains Spurs' single most important outfield player, and he continues to play like a man far more experienced than he is.
It is easy to forget that Kane is still just 22 and in the middle of only his second full season in top-flight football. He scored his first league goal in April 2014 and is already the sixth-most prolific Tottenham player in the history of the competition.
Kane continues to shoulder an immense burden and the fear of burnout is real.
Pochettino has acknowledged as much by opting to rest him for most of the Europa League tie against Fiorentina and taking him off when he can.
Christian Eriksen
4 of 5
Christian Eriksen has played within himself this season.
Eriksen's game is more about graft and less about flair than when he arrived from Ajax, but the Dane retains the sublime skills to turn a match.
He has been below the dizzying heights that he reached in Tottenham's previous campaign, but there were signs he was finding his best form again in February.
Spurs' most recent match—the 2-1 win over Swansea at White Hart Lane—was arguably his finest this season. Eriksen worked incredibly hard to win back possession, pick up the ball and tirelessly drive forward.
He was not rewarded with a goal, but the intensity of his play kept Tottenham in control even while they trailed on the scoreboard.
His winner against Manchester City spoke to the sangfroid that makes him such a superb playmaker. In a seismic moment, he coolly tucked his shot away.
If Eriksen is near his best form, Spurs don't often lose, and the fact that he is reaching that level as the most crucial match of the season approaches is cause for great optimism.
Dele Alli
5 of 5
Dele Alli was Tottenham's best player in January, and he retains that honour for February.
The anticipation and desire he showed to score the opener at Carrow Road despite being ill was yet another demonstration of how special the 19-year-old is.
That was Alli's only goal of the month, but he was a constant attacking threat and arguably Spurs' best player home and away in the Europa League tie against Fiorentina.
Having earned a suspension due to an accumulation of yellow cards, he will be sorely missed in the first leg of the round of 16 match against Borussia Dortmund.
Alli was superb in Florence. Given the freedom to drift around Spurs' forward line and pick his victims at will, he was virtually untouchable.
His confidence appears to grow with every game, and he was particularly on top of his game against the Italians—perhaps thriving on the extra space and time that European football provides.
The former MK Dons man gives so much more than a flourish to Tottenham though.
His assist for the winner against Watford—virtually his first touch after coming on—was a perfectly placed ball from a wide area. There was no gloss, he simply saw what was needed and delivered.
In replacing the injured Mousa Dembele in a deeper role against Swansea, the teenager was quieter but continued to influence the game. Pochettino eventually introduced Ryan Mason to set Alli loose on a tiring opposition.
If Alli can carry this form into the final months of the season, Tottenham will be well placed indeed.
