Key spots still up for grabs as Tottenham prepare for gameweek one

Tottenham Hotspur begin their second season under the stewardship of Ange Postecoglou when they showdown with newly promoted Leicester City at the King Power on Monday night.

There are a few nailed on to start the opening game, but quite a few, and more than Ange would want, spots are still there for the taking.

Vicario, Porro, Romero, Van De Ven, Heung Min-Son, and Dominic Solanke have absolutely nothing to worry about. It is really hard to find a scenario where they do not start on Monday, barring any late injury or illness.

The first five are 100% and Solanke is probably 99%, as a new signing. But Ange's quotes and Richarlison's missing pre-season with injury suggest that should not really be an issue.

Pape Sarr and Kulsevski are in the 90% category. Sarr is a top player but with the addition of Archie Gray, there is healthy competition in the double pivot, with Bissouma and Bentancur also chomping at the bit to start. Sarr came on in seven Premier League games last season, so the idea of him not starting is not heard of. Still, it would be a surprise to see him left out in any case.

Kulusevski had a great pre-season, but in central areas, so it remains to be seen if he fancies starting him as a number 10 over James Maddison, considering the arrival of Solanke up front, where Kulusevski has been playing. He could play on the right over Johnson, though it feels like he has been making too much impact in central areas.

So in theory, Ange could start with Johnson from the right, Maddison as the 10, and Solanke up front. But, it feels like overall the Swedish attacker's performances in pre-season have been too good to ignore, so he is likely to start whichever position it may be in.

Udogie will be doing everything to start on Monday night and if he was fully fit there would be nothing to discuss but the fact he only featured in one pre-season game, for 45 minutes, cannot be ignored. Everyone will be hoping the 22-year-old can be fit in time to start the game, but nothing is guaranteed.

Romero, by the same token, also only played 45 minutes in pre-season after his Copa America campaign, but you find it hard to picture Ange leaving him out of the side or Romero not making himself available to go from the off. He is also of course not coming back from injury and has had the best part of a month off since the aforementioned Copa America.

So, this likely leaves left-back, one central midfield position, and one attacking role (right-wing or number 10) up for grabs.

Ben Davies could fill in for Udogie at left-back should the Leicester game come too soon for him. Jamie Donley deputized there in pre-season, but Ange might feel that is too risky in a league game just yet.

Djed Spence filled in at left-back against Bayern Munich and has been impressing Ange Postecoglou over the summer, and could be an option there too.

Key spots still up for grabs as Tottenham prepare for gameweek one

As for the midfield role, likely next to Pape Sarr, the competition is fierce. Gray, Bentancur, and Bissouma will all be trying to be in that starting XI at the King Power and it is hard to guess who Ange would go for.

Bissouma's recent off-pitch antics may count against him and Ange could see that as a way of whittling down his options. If this is the case, it goes down to Bentancur and Gray which is an interesting one to dissect.

Gray has looked good in pre-season, but more so in defense than in midfield. Bentancur, like his South American counterpart Romero, has only played 45 minutes in pre-season due to the Copa America, and that could play into Gray's hands given Bentancur isn't seen as a non-negotiable starter like Romero is.

That said, a start for Bentancur on Monday would be quite poetic given it was Tottenham's last trip to the King Power, in February of 2023, where the Uruguayan midfielder suffered an ACL injury and missed eight months of action.

As for the void number 10 or right-wing position, the role that Kulusevski is not deployed in on Monday - James Maddison may not be afforded the same poetic start as he returns to his old stomping ground on Monday. The England international struggled to make an impact in pre-season and may not be given a start at his former club.

As mentioned above, Kulusevski feels like a player who is operating far better in central areas than out wide at the moment, which could lead to Brennan Johnson starting instead, despite an unremarkable pre-season from the Welshman himself.

Summary - likely starters; Vicario, Porro, Romero, Van De Ven, Sarr, Kulusevski, Son, Solanke. In the mix: one of Udogie, Davies, or Donley - one of Bentancur, Bissouma, or Gray, and one of Johnson or Maddison.