It was hard to look beyond the maddening intervention of VAR in the aftermath of Tottenham’s 2-1 defeat at Leicester on Saturday, but their lacklustre start to the season can be traced back to long before the technology’s introduction.
Mauricio Pochettino’s squad has an end-of-cycle feel and it is increasingly clear that Spurs are paying the price for conservatism in the transfer market, particularly in the summer of 2018.
Nine of the squad of 18 on Saturday were involved in the 1-0 defeat to title-winners Leicester in 2016, and it would have been 11 with the rested Dele Alli and Hugo Lloris, who was missing on paternity leave. For Leicester, there were only three survivors.
Tottenham responded to their manager’s calls for a “new chapter” with three promising signings in the summer - Tanguy Ndombele, Ryan Sessegnon and loan signing Giovani Lo Celso - but it was not the “painful” rebuild predicted by the Argentine, who wanted closer to six or seven additions to mentally and physically refresh his stagnant squad.
The situation is not solely the result of the club’s shortcomings, particularly as they have been hampered in attempts to clear the decks of unwanted players. There were no serious bids for contract rebels Toby Alderweireld or Christian Eriksen, while Danny Rose has been on the transfer list for the past two summers. Victor Wanyama, who could have done better for both Leicester goals, declined the chance to join Club Brugge in August and Serge Aurier also stayed put. The Ivorian’s 67th-minute goal was ruled out by VAR on Saturday, turning the game on its head.
Pochettino has been unable to hide his frustration at his inability to truly begin the new chapter. He remains the beating heart of Spurs and, more than any other Premier League manager, his mood seems to rub off on the entire club. His irritable public persona seems to be having an adverse effect on his players, who are low on confidence and prone to errors. Leicester was the third consecutive away game in which they have thrown away a lead.
One solution might be to force through a new chapter by blooding young players, just as he did in his first season, when Younes Kaboul, Etienne Capoue and Emmanuel Adebayor were cast aside for Harry Kane, Ryan Mason and Andros Townsend.
Tuesday’s Carabao Cup third-round tie at Colchester is a good opportunity for the likes of Japhet Tanganga, Oliver Skipp and Troy Parrott to impress, with a view to adding fresh impetus to the first team, at least until Sessegnon and Lo Celso are fit.
“The young players need games to try to show their quality and maybe fight for a place in the starting XI in the Champions League or Premier League,” said Pochettino. “We are going to have a mix. We are going to have a very tough period and we need to manage the squad.”
