Premier League Half-Term Reports: Spurs still adjusting to Poch
Published:Team Name: Tottenham
Current Premier League position: 6th
Giddy highs: West Ham revenge
That Spurs’ biggest moment of euphoria came in the opening game of the season shows just how middling their fortunes have been thus far.
Considering the Hammers completed an unprecedented treble over the Lilywhites in all competitions last season, Eric Dier’s last-gasp winner at Upton Park went some way to correcting the balance of their geographical rivalry.
Crushing lows: Deja vu with Liverpool
A 3-0 loss to the Reds may have continued the slim improvement at the back against Brendan Rodgers’ mob, but it cannot mask the reality that White Hart Lane’s rabble just aren’t at the same level as the league’s elite.
Shining Star: Etienne Capoue
Erik Lamela is finally showing flashes of form and Nacer Chadli is providing a scoring punch, but the French midfielder has surpassed both with his ability to anchor the midfield.
So assured have Capoue’s performances been, that it convinced Mauricio Pochettino to sell fan-favourite Sandro to QPR.
Biggest Disappointment: Emmanuel Adebayor
When Tim Sherwood reintegrated the Togolese into the first-team, Adebayor’s consistent displays hinted that his Jekyll-and-Hyde nature had vanished.
What’s clear from 2014/15’s opening exchanges is that Mr Hyde still inhabits Spurs’ striker, he’s just taken a while to re-emerge.
Starting all seven of the Lilywhite’s top-flight games, Adebayor has just one goal and one assist.
Best bet for the rest of the season: To finish in the top six @ 4/7
Grade: D
Final Thoughts:
Pochettino’s impact at the Lane was always going to take time to land, but the struggles his side are showing up front need to be rectified quickly if he is to come close to achieving a qualification spot in either UEFA competition next term.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
Fancy a flutter? Sign up today to claim up to £100 in free bets.
