Wants, Uncertainties, and Fears

Article by Cam Lessard

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With Spurs winding down this long, arduous season, it's fair to make complete judgements for next year. The sample size, at this point, is saturated with the good, the bad, and the utterly horrifying. We all have our eyes on the finish line. We all want to see where the off-season cycle takes Tottenham. And I think, honestly, we all want to see next season commence (perhaps after a brief recuperation period, I suppose). There will be many noteworthy items to address for Chairman, Daniel Levy; Head Coach, Mauricio Pochettino; and Head of Recruitment, Paul Mitchell.

I have broken down some key items into the following sections: Wants, Uncertainties, and Fears.

I want something close to Ashley Young. I don't want his pinheaded attitude, nor his willingness to dive, but I want someone who can fly to the corner and know when to cross. Chadli is too cautious and predictable; and Lamela wants to push centrally and is a bit too reckless. Spurs don't have an Ashley Young on this current roster, but they desperately need one. I know Lamela has been mainly stuck on the right wing, but if he could be moved to the left and be forced to watch highlight reels of Young thundering down the sideline and curling the ball into the middle, we could probably build our clone in house. I'm not even sure Poch would go for that, but it would definitely help Kane and Eriksen's effectiveness. Let's not forget, that Lamela is actually proficient in aiding his backs, which would take serious pressure off of Danny Rose. If Lamela is not the answer, Paul Mitchell is not unfamiliar with the style of players who would be...looking right at you, Adam Lallana. Go find the next one!

I remain uncertain about Ryan Mason as a starting defensive midfielder on a top tier Premier League team... which I'm assuming is what Tottenham is aiming to be considered. Don't get me wrong, I love Ryan Mason. I think his tenacity and volatility are underrated attributes. He just lacks the skill, the size, and the speed to keep up with better teams in the table. If it were possible, and we could have Moussa Dembele agree to swap brains with Mason, we would have one of the best players in the league. We would also be stuck with a lazy, aloof Football League One-rated talent, but who would care at that juncture? We'd just give 'Moussa Mason' to Scunthorpe. The point isn't that Ryan Mason lacks drive...the point is that he lacks elite talent. I can't envision Ryan Mason becoming more skilled, but I can see him becoming a smarter and more calculated player once he understands his limitations. Right now, he has a chip on his shoulder, so we are seeing a little of his bravado. But if he is given the vote of confidence over this off-season from Poch, we should see a wiser and more relaxed version of Ryan Mason. He is captain material, without a doubt.

I fear Hugo Lloris is leaving. It's hard for me to even discuss on a high level without tearing up. Lloris has gone out of his way to express his desire to play Champions League football in the not too distant future. Additionally, it seems like Real Madrid is ready to move beyond Iker Casillas and make some sort of gigantic push for David De Gea. The hole left at Manchester United would be immense, so Van Gaal would be sure to move on Lloris. Levy, the crotchety miser that he is, has all but said it will take an extraordinary offer for him to even consider moving Lloris. United, with an insane influx of cash for dealing De Gea, would have more than enough to prise Hugo from Levy's cold hands. A lot of dominoes would need to fall for Lloris to leave. When your talking about two of the richest clubs in the world, however, knocking over a couple dominoes is relatively easy. Levy got a truckload of money for Bale and would need a relative bonanza to considering selling Lloris. Ultimately, I fear Tim Krul or Petr Cech will be minding the net for Spurs next year. Talk about a horrifying world.

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