Tottenham Hotspur team guide: Pochettino to bring back the style

Team Name: Tottenham Hotspur

Manager: Mauricio Pochettino

Last Season: 6th

Who they’ve signed so far: Ben Davies (Player Exchange), Michel Vorm (£3.5m), Eric Dier (£4m)

Out of the exit door: Heurelho Gomes (Watford, free), Jake Livermore (Hull City, £8m), Gylfi Sigurdsson (Swansea, Player Exchange), Iago Falque (Genoa, £4m)

Star Man: Christian Eriksen

Despite making just 25 league appearances last season, the Dane ended up scooping Spurs’ Player of the Season award after registering seven goals and eight assists.

Eriksen was a rare bright spot at White Hart Lane and will surely thrive in the fluid, attacking side Pochettino is expected to field.

Under the Radar: Etienne Capoue

Frustrated by injuries and a manager who considered defensive midfielders some kind of black magic in his first season, Capoue should become a key man this time around.

The Frenchman stood out in pre-season, shielding the back four with aplomb while kick-starting Spurs’ attacks with accurate passes into the attackers’ feet.

Sandro continues to be blighted by injuries, and if Capoue can stay fit himself, he could become one of the first names on the teamsheet under Pochettino.

Team Liability: Younes Kaboul

In his two spells at Spurs Kaboul has run the gamut from fan favourite to unlovable lump a few times already, and unfortunately the towering defender looks to be heading towards the latter end of that spectrum again.

Injuries have undoubtedly played their part in his decline, but even when fit last season he looked badly off the pace in the Premier League, especially when facing the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea.

If he could get back to his best he might still merit a place in Spurs’ first team, but the worry is the Lilywhites fail to land Mateo Musacchio and end up relying on an under-par Kaboul for the whole campaign.

Title Odds: 66/1

Best Bet: Eriksen to be top scorer 5/1

Our Verdict:

Spurs should benefit from a lack of expectation this season, with five other teams likely to be competing for the title ahead of them, leaving Pochettino with the chance to focus on bringing attacking football back to White Hart Lane.

Their unreliable trio of strikers could continue to hamper their ambitions and both Eriksen and perhaps Erik Lamela will need to make up some of that shortfall with goals from midfield.

Domestic cups and the Europa League are more likely to provide a shot at glory than the Premier League, but Spurs fans should enjoy a slightly less-fraught season than last year at least.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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