Much has been made of the fact that Mauricio Pochettino failed to bring in any new faces to the Tottenham side over the course of the Summer. A statistical anomaly that meant that the North London outfit were the first club not to sign a player since the introduction of transfer windows in 2003.
The fact that no new players were signed was not a decision that was taken lightly by the Tottenham hierarchy, namely Pochettino and club chairman Daniel Levy. However, the consensus was that if a player cannot be found for the right price, that can also improve what they already have then why spend the money at all.
STICK OR TWIST
It is an incredibly risky strategy but at the same time it is one that could make a lot of sense at the same time. Only time will tell as to whether it is one that has been successful, but if you look at the initial signs they certainly look positive. The stick or twist reference is related to the famous game of blackjack, which is a where players pit their wits against the dealer and the luck of the deck much like the luck of the slot games on sites such as MoneyReels.com
Admittedly two games of the Premier League season is not a huge amount to base things on, however the club have recorded a maximum haul of six points after wins over both Newcastle and Fulham.
The fact that there are no new signings to be integrated means that the team is a lot more settled going into the start of this campaign. This means that there is a greater chance of them hitting the ground running, something that has already been evident in the month of August.
It’s been quite a month for the club as not only did not manage to bring in any new players, they also have had to delay their return home. The new stadium that was meant to be ready for business in mid-September now might not be open until the start of 2019.
That is something that could well have derailed the club’s start to the season, but the group of players have managed to put any off-pitch issues to one side as they have made relatively light work of the opposition that has been put in front of them.
HOME FROM HOME
And it is Wembley in which Tottenham will start their third successive Champions League campaign, after discussions with UEFA they have been granted dispensation to play at least one group game at the English national stadium.
Last season saw Tottenham not only top their group but also get the better of eventual winners Real Madrid at Wembley. In what was a historic night for the club, they beat Los Blancos by three goals to one.
That meant that qualification to the Round of 16 was secured, a phase where they were paired with Italian giants Juventus and although they dominated large periods of the two clashes they eventually lost by an aggregate 4-3 score line.
It was felt that the young Tottenham team showed naivety when it really mattered, while perhaps Mauricio Pochettino should have taken a more pragmatic approach when his side were 1-0 up in the second leg.
NO LONGER YOUNG GUNS
However, they can only really be deemed as excuses in defeat and when you consider that this Tottenham side is unchanged and nearly a year older it means that the tag of youngsters is one that cannot really be applied anymore.
But with that experience that the crushing defeat bought back in March, it will have sharpened their focus to not just go one better but perhaps go all the way this time around. If that is to be the case though they are going to have to beat some of Europe’s biggest outfits.
Something that is reflected in the fact that Tottenham currently find themselves at odds of +2500 in most markets. A price that has them as only 10th favourites to win the Champions League, which also intimates that a return to the Round of 16 and no further is the most likely.
However, these odds can quickly change especially if Tottenham not only get a favourable draw in the group stages but also start off in the same way that they did last season. Should they get off the mark quickly then their odds will tumble.
KANE AND ABLE
Therefore, it might be a shrewd move to back Tottenham now when the price is so favourable. Especially now that Harry Kane has got rid of the hex that was seemingly upon him, one that saw him unable to score goals in August.
Now that particularly monkey is off his back it means he will be getting up through the gears a lot quicker and that is bad news for opposition defences both home and abroad. Not only that but he will be backed by a supporting cast in attack.
Many column inches have been written about Dele Alli and his teammate Christian Eriksen over the past few years and the hope if not the expectation is that they will be pulling the strings in midfield once more, however there is also a wild card in the pack.
That comes in the shape of Lucas Moura, the Brazilian joined from French outfit PSG at the start of the year but failed to make any real strides in his first four months with his new employers. Thankfully though with a pre-season under his belt he looks up to speed with the cut and thrust of the Premier League.
Something that was evident with his goal that opened the scoring in Tottenham’s recent win over Fulham. Although technically not a new signing, he will certainly feel like one due to the improvements he has made in a short space of time.
And of course, one should not forget that the club have also managed to keep hold of Belgian duo Toby Alderweireld and Mousa Dembele. If both of them can avoid the injuries that have plagued them as of late then they will give the team a welcome boost indeed.
It may be a long shot that Tottenham win the Champions League this season, but with the reason’s listed above and the current price that is being offered it may be a tip that is too hot not to take advantage of.
