The Premier league season has ended, and after a nervy finish Tottenham were able to claim a third successive top three finish, and ensure Champions League football for their first season in their new stadium.
Spurs supporters are divided though on whether the season has been a success or not, with some good points being made on both sides.
Many fans feel that a Champions League spot is a good return in a year where Spurs have played away from home for the entire season. Many felt Spurs would struggle playing at Wembley, and that top four would be out of our reach.
However, there are supporters that feel that the season has not been great, regardless of finishing third in the table. They argue that the team hasn’t looked as convincing as they did last year, and that we have struggled with the loss of Kyle Walker, and the lack of games for Danny Rose, and Toby Alderweireld, who both now look destined for the exit door.
Although not many will have expected us to mount a serious title challenge whilst playing the season at Wembley, there is a sense of disappointment that Spurs were not able to capitalise on playing at the National Stadium, by reaching the Cup Final.
The loss to Manchester United will be seen as a missed opportunity to finally land some silverware, and to have something to show for the progress made under Pochettinho. And with so many Semi Final defeats in the recent years, some fans are beginning to wonder if we really have made as much progress as we thought.
It is important to acknowledge just how far Spurs have come over the last four years, before which there was never any real hope of challenging to begin with. In that time we have qualified for the Champions League three times, and have finished second, and third (twice) in the League.
A portion of fans believe this is not good enough, and that it counts for nothing without a trophy. Many will point out that despite being the superior team in North London over the last few years’, our unmentionable neighbours have still won two FA Cups in the time since Mauricio Pochettino took the reins at Spurs.
What people fail to understand sometimes, is the vast gulf in resources available to Tottenham, compared to the other 5 of the top 6 clubs. Despite the very understandable despair at having not won a trophy in recent years, it must be pointed out that Spurs have been competing against their rivals, and often coming out on top, whilst spending far less money.
Money talks in football, and you can clearly see the connection between money spent on wages, and transfers, and league performance. The fact that Tottenham have forced their way into contention is an amazing achievement, and the difficulty of the task cannot be underestimated.
We are probably in one of the most difficult periods in football history, where the distribution of wealth is more unequal than ever, despite the TV money coming into the game. Any team that can get a foothold into the elite, by finishing in the top four year after year, is in a really healthy position, and will only get stronger and stronger, making it more difficult for the teams below to catch up.
Tottenham have manged to break into this elite, but are still behind, financially, when compared to our top 6 rivals. Finishing in the top four is therefore a massive achievement, and Spurs must ensure that they do it regularly if they are to establish themselves as a real football powerhouse.
Spurs have had to progress in baby steps; they are not City, or Chelsea, who have won the football lottery and bought their trophies. Spurs do not have that option available to them. Therefore any success was going to be on a long term basis, and not overnight.
Despite the progress, the doom mongers amongst our supporters do have some valid points. Spurs have not looked as strong without Walker, and the likely departures of Rose, and Alderweireld will weaken the squad further.
Aurier hasn’t been convincing since he arrived, and as good a job as Trippier, and Davies have done in providing support; they are at best, squad players, and probably not the world class Full Backs we need to push further and establish ourselves as a top team.
Sanchez has been fantastic since he arrived, and has helped paper over some of the cracks that may have been more evident without him due to Toby’s lack of involvement.
There are issues further up the pitch also; Wanyama has struggled to match his form of last year, albeit perhaps due to injury, and there is the question of cover for Harry Kane when he is unable to play.
There is also the lack of a player willing and able to take on a defence, resulting in frustration when we are trying to break a team down. When we play teams below us in the table, which are happy to park the team bus and play for the draw, we often struggle to penetrate the back line, and seem to just pass the ball side to side outside the opponent’s penalty area.
This has been a cause of frustration to supporters when they see the team struggle against teams they should be beating. Tottenham require another option; someone who will dribble, and run at opposition defences, and opens up play by unlocking a stubborn, determined defence.
Lucas Moura could well prove to be that person, but we haven’t seen enough of him to be able to say for sure. He certainly looks comfortable on the ball, and will no doubt benefit from a full pre-season with the team.
Lamela was always supposed to be that player, but has evolved into something different. He certainly has his qualities; his willingness to track back and help out his teammates in defensive duties, and his toughness on and off the ball. However, this was not the Lamela we had hoped for, and although he has his strengths, it is arguable that they are not the qualities we should necessarily be prioritising.
It is clear that Tottenham need improvements to the squad if they are to compete for trophies next year, and maintain the progress they have made. Reports in the media are claiming that Pochettino will be given £120million to spend in the summer, although there doesn’t seem to be any official source confirming this, and the figure has most likely been plucked from thin air.
Depending on how many players Tottenham offload this summer, whether by the manager’s choice, or player dissatisfaction, Spurs could potentially raise at least another £100million, with reports that this could be as high as £170million, depending on who they sell.
It is best to take these figures with a pinch of salt, but it would not be unthinkable if Poch were to be given up to £150million to spend on transfer targets, especially if they were funded by sales of fringe players, and those clearly looking to leave the club.
If this is the case, then what would be Tottenham’s priority? Where can the money be spent to really improve the team, and ensure that they are challenging for silverware next season?
One area of improvement has to be the full backs. As mentioned, Davies, and Trippier are good squad players, and have done a job when needed. But when you look at the quality around the rest of the pitch, especially in the starting 11, you feel that most of our players would walk into almost any team in the league when on form.
This is not the case with the two full backs, and it is an area of great importance under the system that Pochettino likes to play. If Spurs are going to continue progressing, and improving year on year, then they are going to need an upgrade in these two positions.
Aurier has not started his time at Spurs well, however, he will probably need another season to adapt to English football before we can decide on his long-term future. So far, we have seen nothing to show he is capable, but a source has claimed that the staff and management at Spurs believe he will come good, and that he has the talent to excel.
Another priority will have to be a long-term replacement for Mousa Dembele, regardless of whether Dembele stays for another season or not. There are rumours that he is looking to leave, but should he stay, it is clear from his long history of injuries that he is unlikely to be fit for an entire campaign.
Some will feel that Harry Winks can step into this role, and although his performance in the limited number of games he has played have been impressive for someone of his age, his progress has been disrupted by injury, and it would be sensible to have someone available that can step into Dembele’s position should Winks not work out.
One name the media have proposed as a possible replacement is Lazio’s Milinkovic-Savic. The Serbian international is a real complete midfielder, and is definitely capable of slotting into the team. A real talent that seems to possess all the qualities needed, he would not be an easy signing, as some of Europe’s top clubs have all had scouts watch him play this past year, and many of them will be expected to make offers in the summer transfer window.
Another position that may require strengthening is the holding midfield role, however with two good players in Eric Dier, and Wanyama, it would really have to be someone special to come in and command a starting role. The supporters are hoping that Wanyama can return to the form we saw last year, and that we will not have to look into replacements.
The media though have reported rumours that he is looking at his options this summer, and that he may want to leave the club. If this is the case, then we will need another option. As good as Eric Dier is, his versatility especially, we would need someone more consistent in that role should Wanyama choose to depart.
The front four attacking players is the area where Spurs really excel, and when the players are on form, they are as good an attacking threat as any team in the country could hope for. Add to that the fringe players such as Moura, and Lamela, and you have good options going forward.
However, as mentioned we still have areas where we could benefit from additional options, and these include the back up for Kane, and the flair player that will open up a defence.
The back-up for Kane is a must, but also probably the hardest thing to get right. Any established striker that Spurs approach is going to be put off by the fact that they will undoubtedly play second fiddle to the Golden Boy, Harry Kane.
Any striker coming in will have to be either a young player happy to take his chances when they present themselves, or an older player coming to the end of their career. But of course we have already tried both approaches with Vincent Janssen, and Fenando Llorente, and neither exactly worked out well.
Some will feel that younger players should be promoted to the first team squad to act as Kane’s understudy. Tottenham possess two talented such individuals in Kazaiah Sterling, Reo Griffiths. However, as exciting as the two young players are; the fact is that neither has played to anywhere near Premier League level football, and it would be asking a lot of them to make the step up.
Tottenham therefore find themselves in a difficult position, where they will have to get any potential target spot-on. It is difficult to ask a player to come in and only play the odd League Cup game here and there, and then expect them to produce the goods without having had a good run in the team. Poch will have his work cut out trying to find a potential back up option to Kane, but if he chooses the right player, it could prove to be a significant signing.
And finally, we have the aforementioned “flair” or “creative” player that Spurs will need if they are going to break down those stubborn defensive teams. Like we mentioned earlier, Moura may well prove to be that player, but if you are going to challenge for the title, then you are going to need options.
The two players linked to Spurs in recent months have been Malcom, the Brazilian currently at Bordeaux, and Wilfred Zaha. Of the two of these players, Zaha is the one with Premier League experience, and therefore maybe the better option. However, being a home-grown player he is likely to come at a premium, and despite his obvious talent, would be a very costly squad player if he didn’t force his way straight into the first team.
Malcom is a very skilful player that definitely has the ability to be a top Premier League player, and although maybe the cheaper option, would most likely take a lot longer to adjust to Spurs style of play.
Mauricio Pochettino spoke with the media in his post-match press conference following the nine goal thriller at Wembley on Sunday, and spoke of the need to create a “new idea” and to take “risks.”
He said: "We need to talk a lot between us and the club. I think I have a very clear idea of what we need to do. I don't know if the club will agree with me or not, but we are going to talk next week to create what I think we need to do together again, to try to improve.
"That is a little bit up to Daniel and the club, of course, to agree with us because, after four years, I think we need to assess that period if we want to compete for big, big trophies. I think all that we achieved until today is fantastic but it will be so important to create again.
"The club's ambition is always to win but it is not easy to find the way. I think it is so important that we are going to move to the new stadium, but not only that is going to make us close to winning.
"I think they're going to listen to me, of course, but sometimes I have some crazy ideas. But you need to be brave in this kind of situation, in our club with our unbelievable fans, and take risks. I think it's a moment for the club to take risks and try to be competitive.
"I am sure Daniel is going to listen to me and of course we can create together to help the team to move on."
For the sake of Spurs and their chances of finally competing for silverware, we hope that the Tottenham manager is right, and that Levy does listen, and provide the Argentine with the resources he needs to take Spurs to the next level.
Pochettino has proven that he has what it takes to improve the club, and has met all his targets early. The initial target was to be able to qualify for the Champions League by the time Spurs enter the new stadium.
Pochettino is well ahead of target, and now needs to be given the funds to turn Tottenham into a global footballing power. Will he be given the funds? And if so, how should he use them? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments section below.
Disclaimer – A large portion of this article is taken from another website, of which I am the original content creator/author, and can be found here http://coyslife.com/2018/05/08/where-can-tottenham-improve-next-season/ However, this has been significantly edited to reflect Tottenham’s successful qualification into the Champions League, and events that have happened since. This version of the article is original to steemit. Photos from Getty Images