There’s a Spurs striker dilemma. With Roberto Soldado misfiring and Emmanuel Adebayor out indefinitely due to personal reasons, the only real threat up front is Harry Kane. This young man can’t lead the front line alone. Kane and Soldado do make a good combination, but there needs to be a backup striker to shake things up.
In the last three games, form has fallen from high to low. The victory against Everton seemed to have been a turning point for the season, the players finally clicking and playing some appealing football. But, when faced up against Crystal Palace, Spurs were held to a no score draw. Eleven shots off target. Sure, a lion’s share of possession was achieved with 68%, but Palace came closer to winning where their striker, Jason Puncheon, hit the bar. To turn one point into three, more options are needed to bolster the attack. Nacer Chadli played a new role against Beşiktaş, filling Soldado’s void. However, he was rather ineffectual. Chadli isn’t a natural striker; definitely not a lone striker at that. Surely Mauricio Pochettino will be requesting another striker in January?
Now, there is not return date for Adebayor, which cannot be helped or sped up. This leaves a bit of a mess, however. It means there are currently only two first team strikers at the club, which at the moment isn’t a major problem. But, it could pose a threat. One injury will force Pochettino into playing one striker up front, with no replacements on the bench. This means that however out of form Soldado or Kane might be, there is not alternative (unless 18-year-old Shayon Harrison wants to step up). It will mean Pochettino has to adapt his tactics again, perhaps experimenting with the midfield personnel to make up for the lack of firepower up front. This will once again upset what little success the tactics have achieved against the likes of Everton. Of course, tactics shouldn’t be set in stone and should be left open for minor tweaks… but a lack of a striker may require a larger overhaul.
One major question is: will Spurs invest in a new striker in January? With only two strikers for Pochettino to field, surely there must be some attempt at finding another striker? Fernando Torres, whose loan at AC Milan has been terminated, is unwanted at Chelsea with a free transfer possibility. But, isn’t a flop like Torres going to be the same at any Premier League club? Perhaps Daniel Levy and Paul Mitchell will be better served investing in some young English talent, Saido Berahino, for example. His form has dipped a little as of late, but he would make a good third choice striker. This coming transfer window will, hopefully, showcase Mitchell’s ability to find a suitable man for the job. Pochettino has worked with him before at Southampton, constructing a very solid team indeed. Why can’t this happen again at Spurs? It all depends on Levy. He needs to put his faith and money behind Pochettino, or he’ll never be able to truly flourish and allow Spurs to succeed. Every top team has a top striker. Manchester City have Sergio Agüero and Chelsea have Diego Costa. Notice how both teams are in the Top Four. If Spurs want to get there, a top class striker is paramount.
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