Tottenham again face Everton work-in-progress

Tottenham’s last trip to Goodison Park bore a good number of similarities to this Saturday’s next iteration of the fixture.

It was the opening match of a 2015/16 season where Tottenham knew the onus was on them to improve over a poor series of results that concluded the prior term.

Everton, meanwhile, were in the midst of reconstruction job under new coach Ronald Koeman. It being the first game of the season, parts were still coming together for the Blues, and the Dutchman openly admitted that his team was not as prepared as he would have liked.

That didn’t end up mattering as much as he thought on the day however. Everton’s Ross Barkley opened the scoring in the fifth minute, and only a header from Érik Lamela in the second half saved any points for Tottenham.

With the transfer window closed, Everton won’t quite have to deal with the feeling of being incomplete. This summer represented a much more thorough rebuilding project for Koeman though, and even with the window closed there is a lot more settling in to do.

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Consider, for instance, that at least five of Koeman’s starting XI on Saturday will be new additions to the team. With the exception of Sandro Ramírez, they will all be players with Premier League experience, but familiarity with the league doesn’t necessarily translate to familiarity with a system.

Koeman’s tactics are hardly complex, but they require a commitment and organization that can take getting used to. With Everton veterans Idrissa Gueye and Morgan Schneiderlin forming the heart of the team, it’s a safe bet that the Blues will at least muster some decent solidity though.

It remains to be seen though how the combined talents of Sandro, Wayne Rooney and Gylfi Sigurddson will combine to make up for the absence of Romelu Lukaku.

That’s a front three with plenty of theoretical firepower, but it is unclear how it all fits together on the same pitch. One thing is for certain — that trio is distinctly lacking in pace, a valuable skill if Everton are hoping to break past Tottenham’s high line.

Tottenham could, in theory, push up even higher than their used to, relatively confident that their defense has the speed to track down any Everton runner that finds a way through.

Should dynamic Everton youngster Dominic Calvert-Lewin start or appear late in the game though, Tottenham should be more wary. The 20-year-old has looked particularly dangerous — and pacey — in flashes so far this season.

Bedding those new talents in will likely be a season-long project for Koeman, but that won’t necessary leave Everton exposed. Indeed, Pochettino will in all likelihood experience the same problem he’s always had against Everton.

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Three of Spurs’ last four matches against Everton have ended that way, and Koeman would undoubtedly take a point if he can get it. Expect some rugged defending from the hosts, and an increasingly testy Spurs side if an early goal does not come.