Where will Tottenham finish? Strengths, weaknesses and transfer roundup
All or Nothing: Tottenham has given supporters a brilliant insight the workings at Tottenham Hotspur and the way Jose Mourinho conducts himself in matches and on the training pitch. However, now away from the Amazon cameras, Mourinho needs to focus on his first full season at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and securing a Champions League finish in the coming campaign. He has been well backed in the market so far and he now needs to repay the faith shown in him by Daniel Levy to deliver a top-four finish and their first piece of silverware since 2008.
Last Season
2019/20 was a tumultuous one for Tottenham. Mauricio Pochettino was relieved of his duties in November and Jose Mourinho appointed as his successor. The Portuguese boss brought about mixed results and he is still yet to fully win the fans over, but on the back of a rocky campaign, Mourinho still secured European football next term following a strong end to the season post-lockdown. Indeed, Spurs finished sixth, but it was another season without silverware that the fans are craving.
The cup performances in particular were abysmal to say the least. Spurs whimpered out of the Champions League at the hands of RB Leipzig and succumbed to penalty shootout exits to Colchester and Norwich in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, respectively. However, the strong end to the domestic season will be cause for optimism. Spurs ended the 2019/20 Premier League campaign on a six-match unbeaten run, including wins over Arsenal and Leicester, so Mourinho has a solid founation upon which to build.
Strengths
When every player is fit, Tottenham have plenty of depth across key areas of the pitch. The issue for Jose Mourinho last season is that his attacking players all became unavailable in quick succession. Harry Kane sustained a hamstring problem on New Year's Day, while Son Heung-Min and Steven Bergwijn both picked up injury issues in quick succession prior to lockdown. But with a full compliment of attackers available, Spurs are well stocked in the final third.
In midfield and defence, too, Mourinho has plenty of options to keep the squad competitive as they look to make a return to the Champions League, while Hugo Lloris, when fit, enjoyed one of his best seasons to date to ensure Spurs finished in the European spots. With a host of young talent coming through the ranks, too, the north London side have plenty of competition across all areas of the pitch ahead of their season opener with Everton.
Weaknesses
The one glaring weakness in the Tottenham squad is in attack. Spurs scored 61 league goals last season, but that number would have been higher had Harry Kane not sustained a lengthy spell on the sidelines. The issue with Spurs is the lack of backup for Kane. In this instance, the team is stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Spurs had it well with Fernando Llorente as Kane's deputy on the frontline as the experienced Spaniard was happy to play second fiddle, but they need to find a striker who is willing to play second choice. A host of strikers have been linked with a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer, including Troy Deeney and Josh King, yet Mourinho needs to strike the right chord with any new forward recruit, who must appreciate that, when fit, Kane is first choice striker.
Another left-back wouldn't go amiss, but it's perhaps not the immediate concern as the new season nears.
Transfer Roundup
Tottenham have been active in the transfer market in the weeks following the 2019/20 season. Supporters are familiar with Spurs' previous approach of waiting until late in the window to strengthen in order to drive the asking price down, but this summer has been different. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, a target since January, has joined from Southampton to bolster Mourinho's central midfield options, with Kyle Walker-Peters going the other way.
Joe Hart has arrived on a free to add experience and a winning mentality between the sticks and, crucially, a new right-back has come in. Matt Doherty has established himself as one of the most effective attacking right-backs in the Premier League, so his capture is seen as a coup and allows for Spurs to move Serge Aurier on. However, a backup striker is still needed and the club needs to raise funds by selling other fringe players, with Aurier, Juan Foyth, Danny Rose and Paulo Gazzaniga tipped to leave before next month's deadline.
Prediction
Jose Mourinho may have steadied the ship towards the end of the season as the six-game unbeaten run suggests. Tottenham have also carried out plenty of work behind the scenes to improve on the training ground and at a boardroom level.
However, the jury is still out on Mourinho. The club has invested well in Premier League experienced personnel, yet the state of the campaign also depends on which Mourinho supporters bear witness to. With games also set to come thick and fast this month to set the tone for what should be a hectic season, the amount of action may hinder Spurs.
Predicted League Finish: 7th
