New Spurs man Toby Alderweireld believes Tottenham can secure a top-four finish and qualify for the Champions League in his first season at the club following his summer move from Atletico Madrid, but how close are the North Londoners to the holy grail that is Champions League football?
The defender was a star performer on the South Coast last season for Southampton, nevertheless to the Saints’ disappointment he opted to leave the club after his loan move expired, and joined Spurs on a five-year contract.
He hasn’t been at White Hart Lane long, but the Belgian defender already seems suitably impressed by his team-mates, and is very optimistic about their chances of claiming their first top four finish since 2012.
“We have a very young and talented group, with a lot of potential. We want to finish in the top four, so it is going to be difficult as it always is in the Premier League,” the 26-year-old said.
“But we are confident in ourselves to achieve that.”
But should Spurs be confident of getting into the top four? The North Londoners finished fifth last season on 64 points – six points and one place behind fourth placed Man Utd. So that is the gap Mauricio Pochettino’s men need to close next season and if the addition of Alderweireld is anything to go by they have a real chance.
Spurs scored 58 goals last season, which is a reasonably decent return and a similar tally next season would be enough to secure top four football. However, this may only be possible if Spurs improve their shaky defence, which shipped 53 goals and kept just nine clean sheets – the fourth worst return in the Premier League.
It was an area of concern for Mauricio Pochettino last term, and in all honesty it could be argued that was the difference between fourth and fifth for Spurs, so it’s little wonder the Argentinian has strengthened his defence by moving on Younes Kaboul and Vlad Chiriches and bringing in Toby Alderweireld, Kevin Wimmer and Kieran Trippier – who will no doubt help improve the Spurs defensive ranks next season.
Those signings, coupled with the retention of their top keeper Hugo Lloris, means the defensive area does indeed have a much stronger look about it now, and that coupled with some of the attacking talent that performed so well last season in the shape of Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen and Nacer Chadli, leaves the Spurs squad looking much stronger and looking fully capable of challenging the likes of Man Utd, Arsenal and Liverpool.
Also another important point to note is that the Spurs manager is now in his second season at the club. Fifth was a good effort in his first full year and given more time to develop his team and his methods, this Spurs side will continue to grow. As he has gradually signed the right type of players who are suited to his high energy pressing game and as his players continue to buy into his philosophy the team will be better for it.
However the key to everything is the defence, Pochettino will need his new signings to bed in quickly and form a solid defence and Spurs could well be looking at a promising season and who knows maybe Alderweireld is right, they could well get into the top four next season.