Squads, Sandro & Satellite TV

Article by Gary Smith

Welcome from Spain where I would like to offer my perspective on Tottenham from further afar than London. Thanks to the prevalence of Sky and also the availability of all premier league games through Middle East satellite television I have been able to view all of Tottenham's games this season and have been able to form some basis of opinion on the progress they are making and the potential that they may have.

Firstly, there is no doubt that AVB has assembled a very strong squad, a fact that is bound to help them through the rigours of a long season and (hopefully) a lot of games. I am slightly worried that we seem to have a plethora of similar players vying for midfield places, who are generally strong, combative and athletic. However, early season matches suggest that Erikson may well provide the creative spark that could ignite and provide for the Spurs' attack.

It has to be taken into consideration that AVB is still trying to bed in a lot of new players and to establish his best line up so the concerns about the lack of goals being created and scored can be put on hold for the minute. To some extent, the worries over the lack of goals has been allayed by such excellent defensive performances that, if anything, Spurs are resembling the Arsenal sides of old that ground out 1 - 0 wins. I have been surprised that Lamela has only been on the bench after such a huge outlay on him but can only assume that he is being given time to settle into the premiership plus the somewhat surprising emergence of Townsend may have, for the time being, curtailed his opportunities.

Lloris is proving himself to be the keeper that Spurs have been looking for for a while, no disrespect to Brad Friedel, Vertonghen is pure class, Sandro looks dominant in midfield and up front Spurs have an array of attacking talent which is bound to ignite soon. Soldado's goal against Villa was exquisitely taken and hinted at what hopefully is to come. In some ways, it was almost as good as Wilshire's goal at the weekend in terms of the incisive build up and clinical finish.

Just a word on some other observations about the start to the season. Arsenal have begun in scintillating fashion, much as it pains me to say, much of which must be attributed to Ozil and Ramsey. I saw Ozil a few years ago in either the World or Europeans and thought he was the best player at the tournament. I would have seriously advocated Spurs buying him but Wenger, as is his want, has made a sensational signing. From a few years of selling their best players to now go and purchase Ozil shows a significant change in direction for the Arsenal board. Ramsey reminds me of the sudden progress Bale made after a few tentative seasons.

Rumours of Manchester United's demise may be premature but I don't think the attitude or response of Moyes will either have helped or placated the fans. Sure, he always had the 'impossible job' but to keep referring to how he had encountered similar situations at Everton is hardly likely to endear him to United fans. Everton are a reasonably big club whilst United are arguably the biggest. The sole signing of Fellaini, turning out to be the worst buy of the season, will hardly have helped his cause. Naturally, seeing one of our biggest rivals struggling.

At the moment I see Arsenal and Chelsea as our biggest rivals to designs on the title. If we can quicken our game and be more incisive and utilise the wingers I feel we could see a team that not only wins games but that will excite people.

I look forward to next week's game against Hull. Surely a banker and maybe the platform for which Spurs to launch a new attacking initiative

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