![]() Staggering points tallies are now the norm for Premier League winners, so the title may ultimately be determined by the fixtures between title contenders. Spurs have a more settled lineup by comparison and could benefit from the total cohesion of a system and squad heading into the new season.įinally, Spurs showed last season that they were capable of competing with City and Liverpool head-on in their matches against each other. Guardiola will need to make some type of adaptation to having Erling Haaland as a central forward given his lack of contribution to build-up, while the void of Sadio Mane and the integration of the talented yet unorthodox Darwin Nunez also poses certain problems for Klopp. The same cannot be said of City and Liverpool. All their signings fit seamlessly into specific roles and positions within the squad rather than upending any existing order in the team or Conte’s tactics. Of their two rivals, Spurs also have had the least disruptive transfer window. Contrast that to Liverpool, for instance, who have no clear backup for Trent Alexander-Arnold and rely upon an ageing player such as James Milner to contribute to their limited depth in midfield. Pierre Emile Hojberg and Rodrigo Bentacur will likely remain the first-choice midfield duo, but Yves Bissouma and Oliver Skipp are high-quality backups who can rotate effectively with each other. Ryan Sessegnon is more than a competent understudy to Ivan Perisic, while Matt Doherty and Emerson Royal are imperfect yet serviceable alternatives to Djed Spence. ![]() He has also ensured his summer business has added depth to most areas of the squad, especially the most physically taxing positions: wingback and central midfield. His aversion to a high press and willingness to allow his team to drop deeper into a mid-block and compact space means that, as the season goes longer, Spurs may be fresher. Conte drills his players intensely and requires them to have peak fitness, but it’s arguable that his style of play is less physically taxing than Guardiola or Klopp’s, especially out of possession. With the World Cup occurring in the winter, there will also be significant fixture congestion this year. With the benefit of a pre-season and the arrival of several players suited to Conte’s specific demands, it’s reasonable to assume that such performance can be at least sustained if not built-upon, and that a full season of such quality could bring them on the precipice of a title challenge. They also achieved the highest non-penalty goals per shot, indicating they created the highest quality chances across any team in the division. After Conte arrived in November, only Manchester City and Liverpool amassed more points than Tottenham last season. There are certain factors in their favour. With his track record of league success at Juventus, Chelsea, and Inter Milan, the question for Spurs approaching the new season is can they mount a serious title challenge? Six summer signings, as well as a slew of impending outgoings, has indicated the club’s willingness to be moulded within Antonio Conte’s vision for short-term success. Tottenham Hotspur have had an incredibly active summer transfer window.
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