Sandro (right) could be one of the stars of Spurs' season in new manager Andre Villas-Boas's midfield

Published: 16 August, 2012
by DAN CARRIER

THIS time last year we had two big problems: the ongoing saga of our best player, Luka Modric, throwing a strop and saying he wanted out, and the lack of a barnstorming, goal-scoring, rip-roaring centre-forward to get on the end of Gareth Bale’s magical crosses.

With this weekend’s opening game, a tricky away fixture at Newcastle, rapidly approaching, it appears nothing has changed in 12 months. But, as the fans say, “In Levy We Trust”. 

With a dynamic young manager at the helm in Andre Villas-Boas, top cash being squeezed out of Real Madrid for Modric so we don’t have the heartbreak of watching him come back to skin us in the Premier League, and surely just minor details to be ironed out to see Emmanuel Adebayor with us permanently, it’s all good.

Breakthrough act:

Last term Jake Livermore hovered on the fringes, but had the likes of Luka, Sandro and Parker in front of him to get regular action. With only one recognised forward on the books in Jermain Defoe, perhaps it’s time for fresh-faced nipper Harry Kane to become a super-sub? He’s been scoring for fun in pre-season.

Last chance saloon: 

We’re done with Jenas, Bentley, and Bassong, but could Gio Dos Santos, who former Spurs boss Harry Redknapp never had any time for, finally show the form he has shown for Mexico?

Strengths: 

Our midfield looks incredible. Forget the loss of Modric, I’m really looking forward to Tom Huddlestone’s return, Sandro getting a regular run-out, and Bale being told to play on the left.

Weaknesses: 

It’s hard to know who is going to be the 20-goal-a-season forward we’ve been begging for, and while Brad Friedel is a monster, he is 41. Can he really play another 40 games on the spin?

What would make us smile: 

We want another pop at the top four spots, of course, and despite the sad ending to last term, it's still the same core of players, so why not? But also, I'm up for a proper crack at the Europa Cup, and we're long overdue a Chas ’n’ Dave FA Cup single.