Tottenham can still fight for the title. It’s not just a two-man team anymore, says Svitková

They led the Premier League after ten rounds, then struggled for a month, now they have three wins in a row again. Tottenham players are once again closing in on the top of the English league, just four points behind first place after Liverpool’s draw with Arsenal.

Tottenham were written off after Harry Kane’s summer departure. The squad seemed to be of poor quality, the good placings of recent years were justified by the productivity of the English hitman. Spurs started without him with a draw against Brentford, but that kick-started them.

In the next nine rounds Spurs lost only two points for the draw with Arsenal and after 10 games they were at the top of the Premier League. The new coach Ange Postecoglou was breaking one record after another, moreover, he was doing it so sympathetically that even fans of other teams liked him.

The Postecoglou effect on Tottenham

The Australian manager has worked the summer reinforcements James Maddison, Micky van de Ven and Guglielmo Vicario to great effect, with all three instantly becoming indispensable men in the starting line-up. New captain Heung Min Son has also caught on.

“They are playing more as a team, it’s not just about one or two players. They try to play in a combination, team and efficient way, they also have a lot of shots. I like watching them,” said Kateřina Svitková in the MatchTime studio on Canal+ Sport CZ/SK.

Injury crisis overcome

Tottenham’s offense has been pacing so far, but the defense has suffered greatly with van de Ven’s injury. The Dutch stopper dropped out and Spurs suddenly gained a single point from the next five rounds. This was also due to an injury to their second reinforcement – the rampant James Maddison.

“They were able to overcome the minor crisis they had mainly because of injuries. They are proving that they will be in the Top 4 and can still fight for the title,” continued the Chelsea midfielder.

Speculating about the top spot is bold to say the least, despite Tottenham’s big push. Spurs are four points behind leaders Arsenal in fourth place. That’s not much, but unless at least one quality stopper arrives in the winter, Tottenham’s defence won’t sustain results in the long term.

On the other hand, Postecoglou has made a mediocre roster into a really well-functioning team. Tottenham worked on speeding up the transition phase after his arrival and most importantly, maintained decent offensive numbers despite Kane’s departure.

“Postecoglou shows what an exceptional coach he is and that it was no coincidence the success he had abroad. In England you can see he is patient and believes in himself. It is bearing fruit for him,” Svitková added.

Source: MatchTime