How to Fix "Broken" Spurs

Let’s play a little game – forget this weekend’s emphatic result and assume for the sake of this exercise that Tottenham Hotspur, a team who once again have the stingiest defense in the league, have been defeated only once in the league, and sit in fifth place in the league, only three points below fourth, are not OK. Let’s accept the case that the team’s underlying numbers are just “meh” and that they trail the top tier clubs in terms of creating good goal scoring chances. For the sake of argument let’s also throw out the team’s injuries as the key source of the “problems” they’ve faced in the first 13 games of the season. The biggest clubs in England have re-loaded after Leicester City’s fairy-tale title win a season ago and poor, cash strapped Tottenham are once again lagging behind. So, what can they do? How do they go up a gear from a decent, well-drilled battering ram into a truly elite big-chance creating title/top 4 contender again? How do they “solve” Christian Eriksen and Mousa Dembélé, two ridiculously talented players who, according to some Spurs fans, are playing badly enough to warrant losing their spots in the lineup? How do they mature tactically despite Mauricio Pochettino, a manager who excels at creating team spirit but struggles with tactics and in-game adjustments? Here are three simple fixes that might help kick-start things:

Hugo Lloris: The One Who Stayed

Tottenham Hotspur announced today that France captain and star goalkeeper Hugo Lloris has put pen to paper on a new five-year contract to stay at the club. Lloris also spoke in no uncertain terms of his commitment to Spurs and of his confidence in new manager Mauricio Pochettino. Despite the cynical (and realistic) possibility that the deal simply represents a way for Daniel Levy to secure a larger transfer fee should Lloris decide to leave, Spurs fans should be thrilled.

There are two reasons for joy: first off, Hugo Lloris on his day is one of the best keepers not only in the Premier League, but in the world. In addition to being a superb shot-stopper, his quickness and aggression in sweeping up behind his defense fits perfectly with the defensive system Pochettino will look to employ with Spurs. His value to the club far outweighs the financial benefit Levy would gain by selling him, so keeping him around for as long as possible can only be a good thing.

The second reason to be excited about Hugo's new deal is more symbolic. By agreeing to stick with the "project" at Tottenham, Lloris has made a bold statement that the club is not a sinking ship, and that last season, while hugely disappointing, was a blip in an otherwise positive trend. Whether his similarly "unsettled" teammates (looking at you Jan) follow suit is uncertain. However, for potential new recruits, Lloris' decision to stay represents a firm endorsement of the work the club has been doing to raise their profile and to make Spurs a perennial Champions League contender. If Michael Dawson leaves this summer, Lloris would also be an excellent choice for captain based on his repeatedly demonstrated level of professionalism and class.

That said, keepers rarely change teams for large transfer fees and should Lloris decide that Spurs' ambitions no longer match his, the club will be able to cash in nicely. Finding a top-ten keeper is hard, but good ones can be had at reasonable prices. The likely net profit could be reinvested in typical Spurs fashion to address other needs in the squad.

Spurs' Transfer Plans Are a Total Mystery

A number of factors make it almost impossible to tell exactly what Tottenham Hotspur intend to do in this summer’s transfer window. For one, they have a brand new head coach in Mauricio Pochettino, who has yet to meet and evaluate his squad. While he may already have in mind who he wants to keep and who he wants he sell, it seems unlikely that drastic changes would be made before he has a chance to see his players in person. Secondly, a number of current Spurs players could be described as “unsettled”. Hugo Lloris, Jan Vertonghen, Sandro, Paulinho and even Erik Lamela have been rumored to be exploring their options, which may include leaving the club. 

The departures of these or other current squad members would directly alter the team’s strategy, as new positional holes would open up and the money made from any sales would increase the budget for new players. Perhaps most importantly from an outsider perspective, we have no way of knowing precisely what amount of money Daniel Levy has allotted for the transfer budget in the first place. Unlike last season, when Gareth Bale’s transfer meant a massive influx of cash into Tottenham’s coffers, this summer we can only speculate how much spending money Franco Baldini will have. Reports have suggested around £50 million, but who knows how firm that number is, and how it might be adjusted if Spurs sell players before making any purchases. 

One of Baldini's great successes in his first transfer window was basically pre-spending the Bale money, setting up a series of transfers with the understanding that the funds would appear if and when the deal with Real Madrid was finalized. By laying the ground work, Spurs were able to move extraordinarily quickly to wrap up their moves as soon as the money was available. Considering the uncertainty regarding possible sales this summer, and the fact that there isn't a single player who would command a massive fee, it's doubtful that Baldini could repeat this trick. But then again, those of us outside the club don't know how close certain key players are to the exit door. It's absolutely possible that Spurs have a set of targets in mind in the event that a Hugo Lloris or Jan Vertonghen force a move. Seeing a theme here?

Should Spurs hang on to their "unsettled" players, only a few positions need serious reinforcement (or upgrading). It's been music to fans' ears to hear that Pochettino has identified left back, central defense and striker as positions of need. The £50 million that's been floated should be more than sufficient to address these holes but probably means there won't be a single massive purchase. Considering that despite selling Jake Livermore, Spurs have a glut of central midfielders (especially with the pending return of English Xavi Tom Carroll and the emergence of Nabil Bentaleb), it wouldn't be surprising to see Baldini trim the numbers some there. Any midfield additions, such as the bizarre rumored deal for 33-year-old Esteban Cambiasso would necessitate at least one midfielder (but probably two) going in the other direction.

It's fair to predict that beyond some minor repairs Spurs likely won't be making any big splashes in the transfer market unless there is a dramatic departure from the current squad. More to come as things develop.