The Premier League title contender that no one is talking about
In what is building up to be one of the most open seasons in Premier League history, Tottenham Hotspur is a true title contender that is capable and worthy of topping Manchester City, Arsenal and Leicester City to claim top honors by season’s end.
[ FC Yahoo: Is this Premier League title race as historically close as we think? ]
Tottenham has talent, good coaching and depth, but the truth of the matter is that Spurs have already been strong enough to keep pace in a season that is shaping up to be one of the lowest point finishes in Premier League history. Leicester’s involvement in that top three bodes well for a Tottenham side liking its chances, and the fact that Leicester is leading the pack should further underscore how improbable the 2015-16 campaign already has been.
Going into February, Tottenham is only five points off the top spot, and the top three frontrunners expect to bloody one another between now and the end of the season. At current projections, Leicester City is on pace to win the league with 78 points, which would be a far cry from the 87 points Chelsea collected on its way to the title last term.
[ Premier League: Scores and Schedule | Current Standings | Teams ]
After 23 rounds a year ago, Chelsea had collected 53 points, while Manchester City had 48 points in second place. This season, Leicester is sitting at the top with only 47 points, and the public still expects Manchester City or Arsenal to finish above the Foxes. Considering both Man City and Arsenal are averaging 1.9 points per game, the final total is looking like it could be one of the lowest in Premier League history.
In fact, if Leicester finishes with the 78 points it is currently projected to hit, only the 1996-97 season would have finished with a lower winning point total since the Premier League formed back in 1992. That season, Manchester United topped the league with 75 points. Currently, Manchester City and Arsenal are on pace to collect a measly 73 points, which means this season would likely set a new record total if Leicester crumbled and one of those two teams edged the race.
With 60 percent of the season complete, the 2015-16 campaign has been an absolute, unpredictable mess. Even when Arsenal has a clear path to the top, the Gunners tend to stumble. Manchester City simple cannot seem to stay healthy, and captain Vincent Kompany’s routine absence has hurt the team in the back.
This is where Tottenham comes into the Premier League title equation. Forty-three-year-old manager Mauricio Pochettino has helped his side through the first 23 rounds while suffering only three defeats. Manchester City and Arsenal have more losses, five each. Added to the results, Tottenham has the stingiest defense in the Premier League.
Spurs have only allowed 19 goals, which is actually one better than title-winning Chelsea – a team particularly known for its fortitude at the back – had allowed through 23 rounds of the 2014-15 campaign. In truth, France international goalkeeper Hugo Lloris is as solid as any No. 1 in Europe, and Spurs have pace with the fullbacks and height in the middle.
While Arsenal supporters confidently believe this season is going to go the Gunners’ way, Tottenham has allowed fewer goals and scored more goals than Arsenal. When the teams met in November, the North London derby resulted in a 1-1 draw at the Emirates. The return leg on March 5 at White Hart Lane could well prove to be the difference in the Premier League title race. After all, the current difference between the hated rivals is only two points.
When Tottenham played Manchester City in late September, the Citizens had Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling, Yaya Toure and Kevin De Bruyne in the starting 11. Still, Spurs won 4-1. A Valentine’s Day trip to the Etihad Stadium should provide Tottenham the perfect opportunity to loudly announce its intentions. Tottenham also only trails Man City by two points, so a victory on Feb. 14 could be the difference when May arrives.
One of the players to score in that 4-1 demolition over Man City was striker Harry Kane. At 22 years young, Kane is tied for fourth best scorer in the league with 13 goals – three back of league leader Jamie Vardy. A year ago, Kane finished second in the league with 21 goals, so the England international’s ability to resume the race for the top goal scorer in the league provides more evidence that Kane is no fluke one-off.
Another youngster making waves for Spurs and for England is 19-year-old midfielder Dele Alli. The supremely talented youngster has already appeared in a European Championships qualifier for England, and his reputation was already growing when he scored, probably, the goal of the season.
Based purely on talent, Kane and Alli could easily retain their places in the England and Tottenham setups for the next decade – 22-year-old defender Eric Dier should also be included in that company. That sort of talent and the consensus that it is here to stay help explain why Spurs should be considered true title contenders this season.
Vardy and Riyad Mahrez took the Premier League by storm by scoring goals at a blistering pace, but Kane and Spurs have only scored one fewer goal than Leicester City after 23 rounds. In fact, Tottenham has more tallies than Arsenal. Defensively, Spurs have the best record in the league, which subtracts down to seven fewer goals allowed than Leicester. Also, Tottenham eliminated Leicester from the FA Cup, so the argument that league-leading Leicester City is significantly better than Tottenham would be tough to make.
Thus far, Arsenal, Manchester City and Leicester City have been tipped as the three teams in contention for the Premier League crown. Tottenham continues to fly under the radar, but based on the balance of play, talent and results, Spurs belong in the title talk. In reality, Tottenham may be the only team left to talk about by the end of the season.
Shahan Ahmed is a soccer columnist for Yahoo Sports. Follow Shahan on Twitter: @ShahanLA and @perfectpass
