Tottenham have experienced a summer of near unprecedented spending. In a show of clear faith in the prodigious talents of Andre Villas-Boas, Levy has equipped Baldini with a spending arsenal to match any club. Those deemed surplus to requirements by the new regime have been met at the revolving doors by a clutch of world-class players to surely take the Premier League club to the next level. For a team who recorded a record points total last term, does this represent the kind of upheaval to imbalance an already capable squad?
Images of a flustered Daniel Levy chasing Baldini round Europe for the chairman’s credit card would have seemed a distant dream for many Spurs fans. Usually content to do their business late, the North Londoners have been accustomed to cut-price last minute bargains instead of ready-made world-class talents. The appointment of Franco Baldini has clearly changed this tact, and fans are finally seeing business conducted early and aggressively.
In a recent interview Villas-Boas confirmed that there would indeed be more movement on the transfer front:
‘We couldn’t manage to get in the top four spot we wanted [last season]. Our ambition stays the same and for that to happen we have been very, very active in the transfer window. We are trimming down the squad to make it strong.’
‘We haven’t finished our business. We will continue to be active and hopefully have the team ready in the next few weeks.’
Are Spurs now taking things too far?
Lest we forget the club had an excellent season last year, collecting a record points tally and narrowly missing out on Champions League by a point. I know ambition dictates not settling, but when they were on the cusp of the ‘Promised Land’ was such a huge overhaul needed?
New tactics, new personnel, these all take a certain amount of time to bed in and settle. Whilst the Palace game was largely a professional job, there was a sense that things just were not clicking between those in white. Can Spurs afford a month to knit their team together whilst their rivals kick on?
Similarly what now happens to the likes of Sigurdsson and Holtby? Recent acquisitions who now appear to imminently fall down the White Hart Lane pecking order. Could the changes made by Villas-Boas unsettle what appeared a pretty stable set-up last season?
In my opinion Spurs will need this squad if they want to compete on all fronts this season. The rigours of midweek football will necessitate rotation, and quality in depth is a prerequisite for this. The early stages of cup football will offer the peripheral players ample opportunity to prove themselves and maintain fitness.
Spurs’ Champions League charge was largely de-railed due to a long-term injury to Brazilian star Sandro at QPR. The arrival of Paulinho and Capoue no longer means that injury in this area should prompt panic and disaster. Spurs are now much better prepared for maintaining a push, rather than running the risk of collapse like they have done painfully before.
The question of gelling the squad is possibly more of an issue for the club than competition for places. Whilst Spurs have done their business surprisingly early, many of their captures have arrived late due to international commitments. Understanding the way Villas-Boas wants to play, and putting that into practice with teammates takes time. This is something that the Premier League doesn’t afford a club, and these first few weeks could be telling for the Tottenham challenge.
Are they alone in this respect?
Not at all. You only have to look at title chasing City to realise that many clubs have also sought to heavily re-build over the summer. If this was such an outrageous risk to success then no club would invest so heavily and so quickly. The key for Villas-Boas will be balancing the new with the old, and using cup games to find the right balance for his new look outfit.
Spurs fans will no doubt think that this is a risk worth taking considering how badly the start to last season went as they waited for a resolution to the Modric saga.
Villas-Boas may be ready to spend again before the window shuts, but my belief is that the only business left to be done is to bring the Bale debacle to a conclusion. Either he stays, or Spurs sell and bring in a replacement before the window slams shut. If you are to believe the rumours today, Erik Lamela is on his way to the capital to discuss a move and in all honesty that wouldn’t be totally ridiculous in the context of things.
Spurs will know that they risk a balance upset in the early stages of the new season, something they are clearly willing to accept. The clubs ambitions this summer have been stark and the upcoming year should breed real excitement amongst the Spurs faithful.
Will recent signings risk imbalance for Spurs this season?
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