Tottenham look blunt in attack but no need to panic
TWO OF the season’s most impressive sides clashed at Goodison Park on Sunday, but neither delivered on expectations.
At this stage you are looking for signs that a team is bang in form. Tottenham nor Everton would argue they were at their best in a 0-0 draw.
I anticipated more from Spurs, who looked blunt in attack. Roberto Soldado, a £26m summer signing from Valencia, has goals in him but is fairly restricted to one style and won’t out-pace defenders.
Tottenham are strong when they get down the flanks. Now that he is fit again, Aaron Lennon needs to be more influential, while right-back Kyle Walker could make more impact going forward.
Last year they had Gareth Bale to decide tight games; they need someone else to step up to the plate now. Record buy Erik Lamela has done nothing of note and while I like Paulinho he plays through the middle.
That said, they didn’t lose and are still where they would want to be in the table.
They were up against a good side, which Roberto Martinez deserves credit for crafting from a mixture of new players and David Moyes’s old team.
There is no need to panic for Tottenham. Their squad is excellent and strong in depth, and I don’t think Andre Villas-Boas’s tactics are too cautious. It’s just that, after a bright start fuelled by optimism and new signings, they need a second wind.