Under Mauricio Pochettino, Tottenham have become regular contenders for Premier League glory, but despite offering the main opposition to League champions Leicester City and Chelsea in recent years, have yet to reach the summit themselves. So what does the 2017-18 season have in store for Spurs?
Last Season
Tottenham were once again the main challengers to the eventual Premier League winners, beating Chelsea in the league along the way, but ultimately falling short. Drawing six of their first eleven games was probably the main reason why they ended up seven points behind Chelsea, but they finished the season strongly, winning twelve of their last thirteen.
Bookmakers’ predictions
It looks like bookmakers are taking a pessimistic view of Tottenham’s chances of clinching the Premier League this season. They are best priced at 10/1 with BetVictor and William Hill, but are fourth in most bookmakers’ market for the Premier League title, behind both Manchester clubs and Chelsea, and only a fraction ahead of Arsenal. They can also be backed at 11/10 to finish outside the top four. A combination of factors lie behind this pessimistic view, including the fact that Spurs will be playing their home games at Wembley this season, and the likely absence of big money signings.
Bookmakers are even less optimistic about Tottenham’s chances of securing European glory next season. You can back them at 35/1 to win the Champions League, but they are behind all four other English clubs in the betting for that title, including Liverpool.
What do the punters think?
Punters appear to be taking a similar view to the bookmakers on Tottenham’s chances. According to a well-known odds comparison site, Spurs were the subject of just 7.6% of bets in the Premier League winners market, but attracted a lot of support inn the Not To Finish Top 4 market, accounting for just under 40% of all money bet in that market.
Key Players
There’s no doubt about Tottenham’s main man. Harry Kane has topped the Premier League goal scoring table for the last two years in a row, and at the age of only 24, there is plenty more to come. He is a solid 3/1 favourite with many bookmakers to outscore his rival again this year, and the fact that he has managed to overcome injury to secure the top spot in each of his last two seasons suggests he is a solid bet to retain his Golden Boot title.
Of course, Tottenham are not a one-man band. Although Kane attracts most of the media attention, the side is packed with stars, all of whom have attracted praised and accolades. Creative force Dele Alli is prominent in the Player of the Year market, and can be backed at 16/1 with Skybet, while Christian Eriksen is on offer at 33/1 with the same bookmaker.
One of the team’s most underrated player is probably defender Toby Alderweireld. Tottenham fans will tell you that Alderweireld is a crucial part of their game plan, who has developed into one of the world’s most effective centre-halves. It is worth noting that a defender has not won the Premier League Player of the Year award since 2005, when the honour went to John Terry, but if you think Tottenham are in line for a good season, then Alderweireld could be an interesting outside bet at 66/1 with Paddy Power.
Transfer news
Of all the top contenders for Premier League glory, Tottenham are likely to start the season having spent the least amount of money, not least because of their restricted finances during the ongoing stadium development. In fact the biggest transfer news from Tottenham this summer has concerned the departure of Kyle Walker to Manchester City for a hefty £50 million fee, but there appears no desire on the part of the club to sign a big money replacement, with Walker’s deputy Kieran Trippier signing a two year extension to his current contract. There has been some growing speculation surrounding Everton’s Ross Barkley, who is now 4/5 with BetVictor to make the switch to north London, but otherwise, Tottenham seem to be relying on the principle of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’!