The Top Flight
Fansided

How will Tottenham Hotspur fare in the Champions League?

By Freddie Boston

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - APRIL 10: Dele Alli of Tottenham Hotspur (obscured) celebrates with team mates as he scores their first goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at White Hart Lane on April 10, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - APRIL 10: Dele Alli of Tottenham Hotspur (obscured) celebrates with team mates as he scores their first goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at White Hart Lane on April 10, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

With the right summer additions, Tottenham can compete in the Champions League.

White Hart Lane will be rocking for Tottenham’s first Champions League campaign since the 2010-11 season.

That year, Spurs rode their underdog status to top a group featuring defending champions Inter Milan. They then went back to the San Siro to knock out AC Milan in the Round of 16 before falling to Real Madrid in the quarter finals.

Spurs were a breath of fresh air in the Champions League that year led by Harry Redknapp. The dazzling offensive displays from Gareth Bale, Luka Modric and Rafael van der Vaart meant even fielding strikers like Peter Crouch and Roman Pavlyuchenko was OK.

Yet while Spurs don’t have a player the caliber of Bale, this team is better than the one they fielded that season. From top to bottom, Tottenham’s starting lineup is far superior. Let’s compare.

Spurs’ team that beat Inter Milan 3-1 in November 2010: Carlo Cudicini; Alan Hutton, Younes Kaboul, William Gallas, Benoit Assou-Ekotto; Tom Huddlestone, Luka Modric, Aaron Lennon, Rafael van der Vaart, Gareth Bale; Peter Crouch.

Spurs’ starting team in 2015/16: Hugo Lloris; Kyle Walker, Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen, Danny Rose; Eric Dier, Mousa Dembele, Dele Alli, Erik Lamela, Christian Eriksen; Harry Kane.

Which of the 2011 players would make the current team? Bale and Modric are probably the only ones. Van der Vaart could also make a claim in front of maybe an Eriksen or Lamela. Outside of that, you would take the entire current team.

More from The Top Flight

Cudicini was filling in for starting goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes, who is currently at Watford. Alan Hutton just got relegated with Aston Villa. Younes Kaboul stayed up with Sunderland, while Tom Huddlestone is with Championship side Hull. Peter Crouch found a home at Stoke after Tottenham.

Of course, the stars were Bale and Modric, who both departed for Real Madrid. Now the stars are in the forms of young Dele Alli and Premier League top scorer Harry Kane.

Spurs from top to bottom have a better all-around team, but now just need another playmaker to take the team to the next level. The squad at this stage can’t compete in both the Premier League and Champions League, and finding more depth in midfield and up front is crucial.

Manager Mauricio Pochettino understands the need to add more talent, and if Spurs can get depth there’s no reason why they can’t compete.

At their best this year, Spurs could have easily matched Man City’s run, who went to the semi-finals via Dyanmo Kiev and Paris Saint-Germain. It would have been tall order for Tottenham to get past a Barcelona or Real Madrid, but making it deep into the competition wouldn’t have been a surprise.

Next: Leicester won't finish in top four in 2016/17

Along with City, Spurs are England’s best hope of Champions League glory in 2017.

Home/Champions League