Hoddle’s advice for Spurs’ Pochettino: ‘Bring in some fresh people’

'They have some good players but they don't have a special player' says Glenn Hoddle, identifying Tottenham's troubles as they sit back in 10th in the Premier League.

Tottenham Hotspur's Roberto Soldado holds his arms up in frustration during his side's loss to Chelsea last Wednesday. Matt Dunham / AP / December 3, 2014
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Glenn Hoddle feels Tottenham Hotspur lack a special player and that they will struggle to make the top four unless the North London club can get one of their strikers firing.

Tottenham sit 10th in the Premier League after an inconsistent start to the season which has seen Mauricio Pochettino's side win as many games as they have lost in their first 15 matches.

Hoddle, who made 377 appearances for Spurs during a 12-year stay at White Hart Lane before managing the club between 2001-03, feels a few new players could lead to a decent run of form which could see them break into the top four.

“He may want to bring in some fresh people. Whether Daniel (Levy, the chairman) is going to be up for that remains to be seen,” Hoddle told Press Association Sport.

“It is very difficult nowadays. There is a lack of world class strikers and midfield players which control the game, express themselves and that is what I think they miss. They have some good players but they don’t have a special player.”

And Hoddle also feels Pochettino has not been able with his current squad to play the type of pressing football which brought him so much success at Southampton.

“There’s a lot of talent there and the manager will try and get best out of the talent there,” Hoddle said.

“He’s tinkered with it (their style of play), I saw them at home to Everton they were very positive, at Southampton he wanted a tempo and he got it.

“The personnel at Tottenham are different – they won’t press as hard. It is something they have worked on at Spurs and something they will try and improve on.

“They have got to put a really good run together (to break into the top four). If you win two or three games in this league it can turn around. The strikers have to start scoring goals, I think then the team can feed off that.”

Roberto Soldado is one of the forwards Tottenham need to start firing, with the former Valencia striker, who cost Spurs £28 million (Dh160.8m) at the start of last season, netting just once in the league this season.

“It hasn’t happened (for Soldado) yet,” Hoddle, who is coaching at QPR and working with a sports news website, said. “He could move somewhere else and embarrass Tottenham and do well.

“He needs confidence. A few more goals and you will see the best of him.”

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