Tottenham Hotspur have made promising strides in head coach Mauricio Pochettino’s first season at the helm, but are showing signs of running out of steam.
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With long runs in both domestic competitions and progress to the last 32 of the Europa League possibly catching up on Spurs, yesterday’s 1-0 home surrender to Aston Villa suggests the remaining few weeks of the campaign could be a slog.
Unlike many of his predecessors, Pochettino has won the backing of the vast majority of the White Hart Lane faithful, buoyed by the Argentine’s faith in young players, the League Cup final appearance, and those eye-catching triumphs over Chelsea and Arsenal in the Premier League.
The defeat to Villa has probably dashed any lingering hopes of a top-four finish, but Pochettino has at least built a platform for next term.
Here we look at five areas the boss must address in order to give the fans and ultra-ambitious chairman Daniel Levy the Champions League qualification they crave.
5) Bolster the defence
Spurs have kept only three clean sheets in their last 21 games in all competitions – two against strugglers Burnley and West Bromwich Albion in the league, and the other versus League One outfit Sheffield United in the League Cup.
As good as the men from north London look going forward, especially when playmaker Christian Eriksen is in full flow, opponents must always feel that they will get on the scoresheet at some point during the 90 minutes.
There is a soft centre to Spurs which is in urgent need of attention when the summer transfer window opens. Federico Fazio has been found wanting against some of English football’s quicker talents, Jan Vertonghen is infuriatingly inconsistent and Eric Dier is still learning the ropes after shifting from full-back.
4) Retain key men
The crucial thing about building a platform is keeping hold of the integral figures who got you this far.
Hugo Lloris is one of the best goalkeepers in Europe and, even though he penned a new long-term contract only last summer, the likely absence of Champions League football next term will almost certainly see illustrious suitors sniffing around in the coming months.
Eriksen has three years remaining on his deal, and is sure to sit on the wishlist of several top clubs despite his recent lull, while 29-goal hitman Harry Kane should be easy enough to retain this summer, having committed to a new five-and-a-half year contract in February and achieved cult status in the terraces.
3) Cut losses on flops
If striker Roberto Soldado and attacker Erik Lamela were going to do the business for Spurs, it would have happened by now. Both have been given more time than they arguably deserved to finally prove themselves this term, but it is not working out and they must be written off as expensive mistakes.
Levy will not retrieve the £30million spent on Lamela nor the £26m it cost to acquire Soldado, but he would still be better off cutting his losses than paying their wages for another 12 months.
2) Add experience into the mix
The midfield engine room is a vital part of any side. Young duo Ryan Mason and Nabil Bentaleb, aged 23 and 20 respectively, have done sterling work in the thick of the action.
More senior midfield figures like Paulinho, Etienne Capoue and Benjamin Stambouli have played their part at various points but Spurs lack a dominant, streetwise figure in the middle of the pitch who is capable of taking the pressure off Mason and Bentaleb.
1) Find able back-up for Kane
Harry Kane’s success in his breakout campaign has been one of the stories of the year, as he has bulldozed his way to 29 goals. The fans love him and he has committed his future to the club.
However, at the age of 21 the need for a rest is as inevitable as a dip in form, so Pochettino must devise a Plan B. Clearly Adebayor and Soldado cannot be relied upon to fill his boots, so the addition of one or ideally two strikers who can take the weight off Kane’s considerable shoulders would be wise.