As holders of the last remaining unbeaten record in the Premier League going into this weekend's fixtures, Tottenham Hotspur have shown that their end-of-season meltdown in pursuit of Leicester City for the 2015/16 title has had no hangover effect.
After inexplicably finishing third in a two-horse race, it was obvious manager Mauricio Pochettino would have to re-evaluate both his squad and his methods over the summer if he was to launch a sustained, 38-game attack on an English top-flight title that has eluded Spurs since 1961.
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For at least 34 matches last season Tottenham were the best team in the league. But their limp finish – with the 5-1 defeat to already-relegated Newcastle United on the final day that allowed Arsenal to usurp them to second place the ultimate indignity for many a Spurs fan – gave Pochettino an embarrassing reminder that for all Spurs’ panache last season, they ran out of puff when it mattered most.
While 25-goal Harry Kane enjoyed a sensational season to add to his breakout one in 2014/15, it was obvious that, with a summer spent spearheading a blunt England attack at Euro 2016 over the summer, and with Spurs embarking on a Uefa Champions League campaign this term, sufficient back-up would be needed to allow the striker rest and cover should he be injured. Vincent Janssen, although without a goal in open play during his short career at White Hart Lane so far, has proven adequate cover, while red-hot Son Heung-min is also an option.
Perhaps one area Spurs fans would have argued did not need upgrading was the base of an excellent midfield. Mousa Dembele and Eric Dier proved the perfect combination – creator and destroyer – during stellar individual campaigns.
So the signing of the powerful Kenyan Victor Wanyama from Southampton in the summer, despite being excellent value at £11 million (Dh48m), raised questions about how the team would set up and who would be the odd man out of a Dembele and Dier partnership that had thrived over the previous 12 months.
With Dembele carrying a suspension over from the tail-end of last season for his part in a melee at Stamdford Bridge during a hate-filled game with Chelsea, the decision was already made for Pochettino, although the Argentine, who had previously worked with Wanyama during their time together at Southampton, was always likely to install him in his line-up regardless.
But Wanyama’s performances have more than vindicated Pochettino’s decision. A force of nature, Wanyama’s pace, stamina and physicality allows him to retrieve the ball without lunging into tackles and protect it in possession. One highlight of Tuesday’s Uefa Champions League match was the sight of three Bayer Leverkusen players bouncing off the indomitable Kenyan before releasing a pass to Kieran Trippier that almost resulted in a headed goal for Dele Alli.
Wanyama has also weighed in with two league goals this season, his muscular presence a handy addition at dead-ball situations. With Dier likely to deputise for the injured Toby Alderweireld at the heart of the defence for Saturday’s match at Bournemouth, he will no doubt be thankful for the protection provided by Wanyama in front of him, something the England man has himself done with aplomb for much of the past 12 months.
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