Tottenham Hotspur Links: Hugo Lloris Believes Spurs Are Missing Two Key Traits to Win a League Title

It’s another short edition of Tottenham Hotspur Links today.

With January being a transfer month, Tottenham Hotspur Links will be splitting or losing stories to Spurs’ Transfer Rumors instead. So today, there’s only two stories to talk about. First up, Hugo Lloris believes that Spurs are close to a league title but are just lacking two key traits to get over that hump. This season, Tottenham are a serious title contender, but no one will know until the end of the season.

Finally, Dele Alli is quickly becoming a big star with Spurs but former Scotland international, Graeme Souness, believes that only two things can derail the young Englishman’s continued rise to superstardom. And with Alli being only 19-years-old, anything can happen. These are the links below.

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• Hugo Lloris believes Spurs lack two key traits
  • [via London Evening Standard]

Experience and maturity. Two key traits that Tottenham don’t have at the moment according to their captain and number one goalkeeper.

It goes without saying, Spurs are a young team who mostly haven’t gotten the experience to win a league title or any other major championship with Tottenham. But winning with other clubs before moving to north London? Sure, definitely.

But this doesn’t mean Hugo Lloris is talking bad about his own club, rather, he’s simply making an observation about two areas that Tottenham can only get by playing more games. Winning games. Losing games. As is, Spurs are a talented team but for the most part might still be a bit green so to speak.

“We don’t have the maturity of some teams, like [Manchester] City or Arsenal,” Lloris talking to Standard Sport. “You need experience. You can’t buy it. You need to play games, you need to lose, you need to win.”

“We are young, we are talented, we are doing well, there is a great spirit in the team and we are working hard, so everything is positive but we need to go step by step. We will see where we are before the last 10 games but at the moment we want to fight and stay as high as possible in the table.”

All in all, what the French goalkeeper is saying, is that having experience and maturity will help a team that’s oh-so-close finally get over that hump and win a trophy/league title. In due time, Tottenham can be that kind of championship winning team. But not just yet — which isn’t bad. Remember, baby steps.

“This is our mentality. We are a hungry young team, but very talented, and we want to challenge the best teams in England and Europe. We will see at the end of the season where will be.”

• Dele Alli’s increasing progress can only be halted by injury or ego
  • [via London Evening Standard?]

Injury and ego are thankfully two things that have yet to hit Dele Alli. Now before anyone says ‘Stop! You’re going to jinx Dele Alli now!’ just know that these two things — or rather one of them — is unavoidable. No, not an ego. Alli is well-grounded and joined a great environment at a young age to continue his development. That being Tottenham Hotspur of course. Remember he’s still just 19-years-old, so he’s literally a teenager still; a kid.

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Anyways, the one thing that could halt Alli’s rise to superstardom if he isn’t there yet, is being injured.

Every athlete will unfortunately have at least one injury in their career whether it’s minor or major. But it’s less about trying to avoid getting hurt, because that’s seriously trying to jinx it when you’re overthinking things.

Instead, it’s mostly about how you recover mentally. Physically, you can get back into full fitness easily. But can you go out there and give 100 percent or more, after suffering a devastating injury? It’s not as simple for athletes.

But again, Alli has been fortunate to not get injured as mentioned above, number one. Number two, sports science has come a long way that any injury, even if it’s considered a major one, isn’t as bad as it used to be.

Ligament tears though, yeah those are still awful. But again, it’s more manageable today than back then.

In all honesty though, Graeme Souness is most likely saying that injury and an ego are the two major things that usually derail a player’s career no matter how old or talented they are. And since Dele Alli is quickly becoming a big star with Tottenham, it’s normal to assume that these two things might rear its ugly head.

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But overall, the former Scottish international is just marveling at Alli’s abilities and what he brings to a young, exciting and competitive Spurs team every single game.

“He shows such maturity, he takes risks. He’ll run with the ball, he’ll try and take people on with a dribble and he’s got great athleticism,” Souness told Sky Sports.

“He’s 19-years-old and he should only get better and better, he’s a baby in terms of football.”

“He’s a modern footballer, he’s a ground coverer with technique.”