Current batch of players as much to blame as coaches at Tottenham

There’s enough blame to go around in Tottenham’s camp after a woeful display against Southampton, and it’s time the current batch of players hold their hands up. 

You can point fingers at Jose Mourinho and, before him, Mauricio Pochettino as much as you want. By no means are they faultless for Tottenham’s lacklustre performances, but the hard truth is that many of the current batch of players simply aren’t cutting the mustard.

Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Son Heung-Min, by scoring crucial goals at opportune times, have glossed over Tottenham’s many issues. It’s ok for teams vying for a top four spot to have one, maybe two, minor problems, but it’s impossible to plaster over numerous major personnel conundrums.

Based on proceedings from the start of the 2019-20 season and before, a few players need to be shipped off in order for Tottenham to once again compete at the level we’ve come to expect. Serge Aurier is first on death row. Too erratic and inconsistent, Aurier must lose his spot on the right side of defence. It’s implausible for Spurs to progress as a club until they fill his spot with somebody whose competency is never in question.

And then you have Jan Vertonghen, a venerated servant of the club. While I have the utmost respect and adoration for Jan, his legs have had enough. He cannot keep up with young whippersnappers the Premier League is renowned for. He should play a character role, but cannot be expected to patrol the left side of defence at the top level game in and out.

Spurs’ major problem is their lack of depth at that position. Danny Rose is invariably on his way out and cannot be trusted to play an integral role in the side. Mourinho believes Ryan Sessegnon is a winger, leaving Tottenham devoid of left back options.

In the centre of the park, Eric Dier still isn’t himself after missing almost a year of action through sickness and injury. It’s not for lack of trying, but the Englishman isn’t good enough to be a top four club’s starting No. 6. That might change in time, but that position is another real issue for Mourinho.

Juan Foyth is nowhere near ready to play in the starting 11 of a top side and Erik Lamela will need time to regain match fitness. Christian Eriksen has given up completely, awaiting confirmation his next team. And Paulo Gazzaniga, no matter how you slice it, isn’t a first choice Premier League keeper.

That’s a far too many holes to plaster over with a few superstars. Until Mourinho dips into the transfer market and repairs the most glaring issues, Tottenham should expect to find it difficult to compete with the apex predators.

It’s a good thing Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United face similar issues. Otherwise the gap between Spurs and the top four would be significantly larger.