Five changes Tottenham MUST make this summer
On Wednesday morning Tottenham Hotspur fans woke to a rallying cry from chairman Daniel Levy.
It’s been a turbulent season at White Hart Lane with Tim Sherwood replacing Andre Villas-Boas as manager and seven new signings struggling to settle in north London.
Being thrashed twice by both Liverpool and Manchester City didn’t help matters either but, as Levy rightly reminds Spurs supporters, the club are, with six games of the season to go, just two points behind last year’s Gareth Bale-fueled points tally, at the same stage of the campaign.
Such statistics provide a quandary for fans of the north London side; heavy defeats and poor performances have led them to the belief they’re watching the slow disintegration of a side which has been on the cusp of qualifying for the Champions League since 2011.
From another angle though, it could easily be suggested the Lilywhites are in the middle of a transformation which was always going to need time reap rewards, patience is a virtue, albeit a tough one to exercise in the make or break world of football.
One thing is for sure, changes will definitely be made in the summer at White Hart Lane, although Levy himself admitted they will be minimal.
The chairman told the club’s official website: “Our focus therefore is to continue to invest in and develop the squad - we shall not look to a summer of major upheaval, but rather to strengthen in key positions - to play the style of football for which we are famous.”
But what alterations are needed to catapult Spurs into the elite? talkSPORT take a look…
1. Ditch the deadwood
At Tottenham, several players have muddled on through without ever proving themselves to be worthy of place in a side who should be challenging for the top four. Michael Dawson showed promise upon joining the club back in January 2005 but, if truth be told, isn’t good enough to play amongst the Premier League’s elite, despite his leadership skills, which can never be questioned. Handing the 30-year-old a contract extension was a mistake and Levy must now rue not selling him, at Andre Villas-Boas’ behest, when Queens Park Rangers offered £9million for his services.
Elsewhere, Aaron Lennon’s form has remained sporadic, Kyle Naughton, while a capable replacement, shows no signs of challenging Kyle Walker for a first-team spot and Heurelho Gomes is earning a wage but hasn’t made an appearance since November 2011.
Cashing in on some of these players would also hand the club a healthy transfer budget and bring the wage bill down in N17.
2. Buy proven Premier League players
Daniel Levy rightly points out Tottenham need to strengthen in key positions this summer but, instead of allowing Franco Baldini to roam the continent in search of quality players, the club should look much closer to home.
Last summer Everton boss Roberto Martinez brought in just a small collection of players to Goodison Park. Gareth Barry and Romelu Lukaku joined on loan, while James McCarthy, Antolin Alcaraz and Joel Robles joined him in swapping Wigan for Merseyside and have turned them into top four challengers.
Spurs could strengthen in a similar manner come July with a move to re-sign Steven Caulker mooted, should Cardiff City be relegated, while rumours about interest in Javier Hernandez, Micah Richards and Lukaku continue to rumble on.
3. Replace Tim Sherwood
In his statement Levy claims he wants to see Spurs play with their famous attacking style, which has been lacking since Andre Villas-Boas’ arrival. The Portuguese boss led Tottenham to a record points haul but slowed down the pace of the game at White Hart Lane.
New boss Tim Sherwood has changed tactics since his appointment but the Lilywhites still appear far too methodical in their approach. The former England midfielder must be commended for his enthusiasm and the decision to introduce Nabil Bentaleb into the first-team fold, but he is struggling to show why he should be kept in the job.
Louis van Gaal appears to be Levy’s chosen replacement and, with his record at club level, we could see exciting free-flowing football back in north London again soon.
4. Give youth a chance
In recent seasons, Tottenham have failed to successfully nurture their youngsters. Bright young prospects like John Bostock and Dean Parrett have found themselves discarded while Steven Caulker was sold after a promising breakthrough season.
Nabil Bentaleb, Andros Townsend and Danny Rose have shown their is potential in Spurs’ academy but they must be allowed to blossom in north London and with Kenneth McEvoy, England Under-17 star Josh Onomah and Milos Veljkovic rising through the ranks currently, they must be cared for to ensure their progression isn’t hampered.
5. Build bridges with the fans
The atmosphere is flat at White Hart Lane. Tottenham fans have struggled to manage their expectations since their transformation from a mediocre mid-table side into top four challengers and now, if the Lilywhites are struggling to grab an opening goal against their opponents, the discontent among supporters becomes immediately apparent.
Losing 1-0 to Arsenal was no embarrassment, especially with Tomas Rosicky’s cracker deciding the affair, but still fans grumbled and moaned their way through the next 88 minutes of action, despite looking the better of the two sides.
No longer does the drum sound in the stands and work must be done bring the buzz back to ground. The 1882 movement, a group of fans intent on singing their hearts out at youth games and European matches, have been well received and should be allowed to carry on their work at Premier League matches, while the introduction of a ‘surfing flag’ is another step in the direction, but more needs to be done.
What changes do you think Tottenham need to make this summer? Let us know by commenting below...