Team Focus: Spurs Hoping Centre-back Additions Will Solidify Leaky Backline
Tottenham’s defending in the Premier League last season was painfully shambolic to watch on occasions. Calamitous individual errors frequently hindered their chances of bridging the gap between the Europa League places and the coveted top-4, with Spurs once more coming up short in their quest to land a Champions League berth.
In the last two league seasons, Spurs have committed more errors that have led to an opposition goal (32) than any other team in Europe's top 5 leagues. To put that into context, 30.8% of the 104 goals Spurs shipped since the beginning of the 2013/14 campaign have been as a result of an individual mistake, the average of which in the Premier League has been exactly half that (15.4%) in that time.
As a result, the first port of call was understandably solidifying the defence this summer. Spurs conceded a whopping 53 league goals last season, only four teams conceded fewer, each of which finished 14th or lower. In Hugo Lloris, the team boasts one of the finest goalkeepers in Europe, but the lack of protection from those in front him meant he kept just 8 clean sheets in the Premier League last season. It’s a return that is far from the worst in England’s top tier, but certainly one that can be improved upon.
As one might expect, Mauricio Pochettino requested the off season so far be spent improving at the back. As such, each of the three summer arrivals have been defenders – right-back Kieran Trippier and centre-back pairing Kevin Wimmer and Toby Alderweireld. With much of the deadwood shipped out, Pochettino is beginning to mould the squad in his image. In attack, little is expected to change, with Nacer Chadli, Christian Eriksen and Erik Lamela – at the time of writing – set to form the offensive triumvirate behind Harry Kane in Pochettino’s favoured 4-2-3-1 formation.
A new midfield partner for Nabil Bentaleb could be considered a necessity. Ryan Mason did little wrong last season, but is not exactly going to strike fear into those above Spurs in the table. The club have been linked with James McCarthy and Christoph Kramer of Everton and Bayer Leverkusen respectively to help strengthen this area of the team, but it’s clear to see Pochettino has been building from the back this summer. With Vlad Chiriches and Younes Kaboul shipped out to Napoli and Sunderland respectively, Pochettino now has 5 options at centre-back - new arrivals Wimmer and Alderweireld and current trio Jan Vertonghen, Eric Dier and Federico Fazio.
Fazio was Spurs’ highest rated player according to WhoScored (7.39) last season, with the Argentine averaging more interceptions (3.4), clearances (8.3) and aerial duels won per game (4.8) of all players for the club. However, a lack of mobility means he is unlikely to start at the heart of the defence when the Premier League returns this weekend, with a relatively modest pass success rate of 80.9% last season not helping his cause. Vertonghen once more is set to be first choice centre-back for Spurs in the upcoming campaign, but the question remains over who will partner the Belgian at the heart of the backline.
He and Fazio formed a relatively solid partnership last season, but there was always the feeling that Spurs could do better. Vertonghen and Dier was an effective if unspectacular pairing, but the duo’s poor mental toughness meant Lloris was often left exposed. Vertonghen is hardly a leader at the back, while Dier’s relative inexperience in England suggests that, at present, these two are unlikely be Pochettino’s first choice centre-backs, even if they showed glimpses of their quality when paired.
On paper, the logical choice is to partner Vertonghen with compatriot Alderweireld. The 26-year-old joined from Atletico Madrid for a little over £11m and is unlikely to come into the side as third or fourth choice centre-back. His performances for Southampton last season ultimately convinced Spurs to spend big on the Belgium international. He may not have been a stand out performer for Saints statistically, but having spent time together for Ajax; both Vertonghen and Alderweireld are well aware of one another’s respective strengths and weaknesses.
Alderweireld gained a WhoScored rating of 7.07 in his debut campaign in England, and while that may seem a modest return, Saints’ goal difference with and without the defender really stands out. The south coast side’s goal difference from his 26 league starts was an impressive +21, with that figure dropping to 0 in the 12 games he did not feature from the off. Much was made of Jose Fonte’s performances for Saints, but it’s evident that their defence was that much stronger when Alderweireld was on the field.
Of course, it would be harsh to discount Wimmer from the mix after his commendable outings for former side FC Cologne last term. Die Geißböcke secured a respectable 12th-placed finish upon their return to the Bundesliga and conceded just 40 goals in the process, a figure only Germany’s top 4 teams bettered. Wimmer formed a key part of that defence, featuring in 32 of their 34 league games and blocking more shots (31) than any other player in the Bundesliga last season. This shows the youngster is capable of being in the right place at the right time to alleviate danger and how prepared he is to put his body on the line for the good of his team.
Not only that, but being left-footed – like Vertonghen – he offers greater balance to the defence and can prove to be a handy stand in for whatever reason the Belgian may be unavailable for selection. At 22 years of age, though, the Austrian is unlikely to be thrown into regular first team action and, as such, may have to settle for a peripheral role at the beginning of the season. Having proven himself in Germany’s top tier, though, Wimmer is a handy option to call on in the backline.
Nonetheless, Pochettino will be expected to start with Vertonghen and Alderweireld for the opening Premier League game of the season and for good reason given their respective form in England’s top tier. In Wimmer, Dier and Fazio, however, the Argentine has sufficient backups, though it’s crucial Spurs cut out the silly individual mistakes from the get go if they are to harbour any real hopes of challenging for a Champions League spot.
Can Spurs correct their defensive errors and secure a top-4 spot this season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below
