Kaboul, Bent and Bale - young and promising
Having just watched the current Tottenham Hotspur side in action for their penultimate pre-season game at Leyton Orient, I was surprised with a side that showcased the array of attacking talent at Martin Jol's disposal this season but also emphasized those areas which could potentially harness their bid to break into the top four.
Their pre-season held many positives, in particular the goal-scoring form of Darren Bent. The new £16.5 million acquisition from Charlton seems to have adapted to life at White Hart Lane greatly and crucially completes a strong four-pronged attack line which is essential for the North London club to be challenging for a top four position.
Much has been written about Arsenal's untenable position, but they cannot be discounted so easily to give up their position without a fight. And Tottenham are not the only team in the shake-up to break the stranglehold that the current top four clubs have over the remaining clubs.
A top four team is built on a solid back line. Tottenham have a strong partnership in the centre of defence in England internationals Michael Dawson and Ledley King, while Pascal Chimbonda has established himself in the right back spot, with new signing Gareth Bale certain to make the left back position his own. The question is whether this squad will be strong enough in quality to cover for what is an impressive first-choice back four.
Their depth of midfield talent will ensure that Spurs are top of the chasing pack comprising of disciplined tough tackling midfielders in Zokora and Jenas, and abundant creativity courtesy of Tom Huddlestone and Aaron Lennon amongst others. In addition to this they have what can be considered a precocious talent in Adel Taarbat, talked about as Spurs's 'Zidane'. With a host of tricks and the enthusiasm to run at defences with great pace, the dynamic midfielder could become a key player for Spurs over the upcoming season.
Having come so close in recent seasons with consecutive fifth place finishes, optimism and experience can be taken from both campaigns. Spurs fans will have every reason to look forward to the forthcoming Premiership campaign; Martin Jol has assembled a fine squad of players and perhaps with a few additions to come possesses a team most certainly capable of launching an assault on that all important top four berth.
With their North London rivals experiencing a transitional period, Spurs fans will surely see this as their best opportunity in recent years for a youthful, but rapidly maturing, talented squad to achieve that much coveted place amongst the elite of Premiership football.
9th August 2007
