Spurs may have broke the bank with their spending over the summer, but Andre Villas-Boas still has a few key weaknesses in his squad that he needs to address.
The absence of Gareth Bale has been felt throughout this team. Whilst it’s probably better balanced this year, it’s also less capable of creating moments of magic and winning games from nowhere.
To fix this issue, I’d argue that AVB needs to look at two key positions: the left-back birth and his strikers.
It’s clear enough that Roberto Soldado isn’t able to carry the Tottenham threat alone. Spurs need to bring in some support and help him to adjust to the Premier League.
Whilst Danny Rose has been fairly good this season, I’m not convinced he’s good enough to succeed in the long-term at White Hart Lane. I’d argue the same is true of Kyle Naughton.
Spurs always grant a big role to their full-backs, who often play behind very talented individuals indeed (including the likes of Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon). As such, I’m somewhat surprised that Daniel Levy and co. didn’t attempt to resolve the issue over the summer.
But there does seem to have been some movement. According to The Mirror, Spurs are ‘weighing up a January move’ for Southampton defender Luke Shaw.
Now of course, this rumour will conjure up memories of Tottenham’s deal for Gareth Bale. He too was a Southampton player, who spent the early stages of his career as a left-back. If Shaw proves to be half as good as Bale, the Saints (and potentially Tottenham) could be onto a real winner.
Considering he’s just 18-years-old, there’s plenty of reason to be excited about Luke Shaw. He’s pacey, he’s technically gifted and he’s not afraid to take players on. He’s also capable of firing in neat, effective crosses that put the opponent on the back foot. Once he’s improved his defensive output, he’ll be the full package.
Unfortunately, he seems to be content at St Mary’s. Check out this quote: “I am happy at Southampton because I’m playing football, which is exactly what I want to be doing.”
That rather throws a spanner in the works, but this is certainly a case where persistence could pay off. Spurs have proven to be dab hands at negotiating in recent times. If Daniel Levy motors ahead, he could yet get his man.
What’s your take? Can Spurs pull off a deal for this highly regarded Saints youngster, or should they steer well clear?
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