Tottenham managed to reach the quarterfinals in their debut run in the UEFA Champions League last season but they will have to do with Europa League this season.
Spurs have a very good team but this transfer window should have been used to add some depth to the squad.
Star Player:
Rafael van der Vaart – the fact that he rarely lasts 70 minutes makes him seem even more special.
Most Important Player:
Luka Modric is one of the most under-appreciated players in the world game, and he has garnered a fair amount of press recently. They won’t let him go to Chelsea because his passing in the midfield area is the structure upon which the entire attack his built. Gareth Bale and Rafael van der Vaart are the decoration.
Most Under-Rated:
Giovanni dos Santos. The brilliant Mexican is an all but forgotten man at White Hart Lane. Fabulous player who was not given enough time.
Most Over-Rated:
Gareth Bale – not because he isn’t brilliant, but because there were comparisons being made between him and Messi last season which seemed a tad hopeful.
Look Out For:
Bale. An injury-free season for him could dictate the course of Spurs’ season.
Cover Your Eyes:
Heurelho Gomes’ reflexes probably save Spurs about 10 points a season, but his butterfingers tend to balance that figure out.
Who They Should Have Signed:
A consistent finisher. Porto’s Falcao was probably out of their price range given President Pinto da Costa’s strict adherence to release clauses; another player playing in Portugal, Oscar Cardozo of Benfica, appears to want a move and enjoys playing in a system similar to Tottenham’s.
Fellow Paraguayan Roque Santa Cruz might have been another option, as might have West Ham’s Demba Ba.
The Manager:
Harry Redknapp proved in the Champions’ League that he has far more tactical nous than he is often given credit for, but he has for once remained conservative in the transfer market and will need to avoid the sorts of injuries which derailed his side last season if Tottenham are to break the top four, let alone mount a serious title challenge.
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