Why Spurs won't win a trophy anytime soon
Tottenham are having a tough January. Harry Kane and Dele Alli got injured and this was followed by their exit from two domestic cups in four days. They haven't been able to sign anyone either as the winter transfer deadline nears.
While Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino seems fine with what is happening, the fans are concerned. There are several reasons as to why this club, with a promising young lineup, continue to fail to win big competitions.
No replacement for Harry Kane
Since Kane's injury, which has ruled him out for almost three weeks, the Spurs have won only one game - against Fulham and it needed a last-minute goal from Harry Winks. They lost two games and have exited two tournaments.
His absence will have an impact unless Heung-Min Son can help out. He's returning earlier than expected after Korea's AFC Asian Cup campaign ended with a 1-0 defeat to Qatar. With the underperforming Fernando Llorente the other option, there's no striker to fill Kane's shoes. He had a similar injury during the 2016-17 season when he missed 10 games. Tottenham won four, drew two and lost four of those.
Eriksen and Alderweireld contracts
Christian Eriksen is yet to sign a new contract and rumor has it that London rivals Chelsea are circling the Danish playmaker. According to The Sun and The Daily Express, Chelsea are on the hunt for him to strengthen their attacking options. It will be a big loss for Spurs to lose their leading provider of assists. With two goals and eight assists in 20 games in the Premier League this season, he's the sort of talent that can improve Chelsea, who could lose Eden Hazard to Real Madrid. In addition, Manchester United are also looking to strengthen their midfield.
Toby Alderweireld is another player who has not signed a new deal. Though Tottenham have triggered an extension clause to keep the Belgian defender till the summer of 2020, it also triggered a 25-million pound release clause that comes into effect in the 2019 summer transfer window. He remains the backbone of the Tottenham defence and his absence could only be more trouble for the club.
Will they ever leave Wembley?
With the constant delays in the opening of Tottenham's new stadium and the cost involving the stadium itself, Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino does not have enough to get suitable replacements for Harry Kane and Dele Alli. The stadium, with an estimated cost of over £850m for the project, is a financial strain on Tottenham. With no money to buy players, Tottenham are trying to compete in a league that spends millions on transfers.
#LevyOut, #PochOut?
If you're on Twitter and a Spurs fan you would have noticed the hashtags #LevyOut or #PochOut. Pochettino has done an incredible job since his arrival at Tottenham. Spurs have consistently finished in the top 4 of the Premier League, but he's often criticized for not having the ambition to win trophies. This is partially true given that he prefers a top-4 finish over winning an FA Cup or a Carabao Cup. This is rather disappointing because the first order of business should be winning trophies to compensate for a trophy drought that has lasted for over a decade.
Poch also needs the financial backing of the club chairman. Daniel Levy is in no mood to loosen his purse strings to find replacements in the ailing squad.Will Spurs ever win a trophy again? Only time will tell, but probably not anytime soon.