How Tottenham are showing Chelsea the light

Chelsea might well be top of the Premier League table right now, but their success is based around the multi-million pound investment of Russian owner Roman Abramovich.

When comparing our London rivals to us ahead of this weekend’s Capital One Cup final at Wembley, there is a significant detail that springs to mind when examining the respective squads.

Where Chelsea now only have youth academy product John Terry as a player guaranteed a place in their starting XI, Spurs have seemingly started to switch their focus on developing young players through the ranks.

Yes, Spurs splurged over £100 million last summer following Gareth Bale’s departure, making it something of an irony that some of the side’s best performers this season have come through the youth ranks.

With Harry Kane, Nabil Bentaleb and Ryan Mason now almost certain starters when available, with Andros Townsend in the mix also, Spurs have shown their big-spending London rivals how best to nurture young talent and use the loan system.

Kane, Townsend and Mason have spent time elsewhere on loan to get experience of first-team football and returned to White Hart Lane as players capable of excelling in the Premier League.

Over at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea have countless players of various nationalities all farmed out across Europe, but haven’t had a new player from the youth academy in their first team consistently for as long as I can remember.

Although Spurs would love to have the ability to splurge on an Eden Hazard or Nemanja Matic, I am sure that some Chelsea fans would relish the opportunity to see young players from the youth academy given a chance to excel.

It is not a matter of the player quality; Kane would be in first-team contention in West London while Spurs’ young central midfield pair would be more viable options than the lumbering John Obi Mikel.

Spurs have seen the error of their ways to some extent with the considerable money spent on the likes of Paulinho and Roberto Soldado, and I for one as a Spurs fan hope that more faith is put in the young players that the club are generating.

Of course buying foreign stars is part of the modern game, but having players that know what the club is about due to having its ethos drilled into them in the youth ranks is a positive collective trait that Spurs currently have that Chelsea aren’t likely to gain any time soon.

The aforementioned young players are the hub of the current Spurs team and to consistently build a unit that can challenge for the top four on a perennial basis, Kane, Mason and Bentaleb will be the crux of the side.

 

Agree that its great to see the young players being developed successfully. 'Arry's approach was to bring in players nearing the end of their careers for a short-term fix but not good for long-term squad development.

It was still disappointing that the starting XI in Florence didn't include a single English player! (Ironically Fiorentina didn't field any Italians either! )

But presumably Kane and Mason -and maybe even Dier, Townsend and Walker - will start on Sunday

 

english? Not once has anyone mentioned rose. Say what u like about him hes british and has expirenced our loan system too. I defo see him becoming another bale if freed of defensives duties. When we had 3 left back (bae) maybe he needs a run of 3-5games tested up left wing he cant half attack and create chances

 

Lets face it the emergence of our academy players has been more through desperation and luck due to the utter horrific waste of money on average players.
Kane has suprised everyone with his development and at this time is s force in the Premier league.
Mason is literally the only midfielder we have that understands you have to run yourself into the ground for the cause a good trait but as for level he is not a top 4 player.
Bentaleb works well in tandem with Mason is tidy on the ball but again isnt top 4 standard.
Thats not to knock them because they at least give their all but we need a major cull in the side and at least 5 top notch players added in some key positions starting with Defence & Attack

 

The realistic fact and on other sites I have stated this, if we finish top 8 it's an achievement. The honest fact, I'd rather have won yesterday than the 5-3 beating we gave them at White Hart Lane. But I seriously look at the squad in total and I ask the question, how many of the current squad would make Chelsea's starting line up?....... And here I struggle. Lloris maybe, but they are blessed with two fantastic keepers, so maybe not for that reason. Next......well there is no next. We have an honest squad, not as talented as Chelsea, Man City, Liverpool, hate to say it Arsenal and to a lesser degree ManU. Frankly we have a lot of deadwood within the squad. Adebayor I'd be surprised if he ever plays for Spurs again. Rose is a left sided midfielder and a poor left back. Of the top of my head he's cost Tottenham 8-10 goals through simple mistakes. Davies is a true left back, solid and dependable and defensively better. Soldado, love him, but I think it's time he calls an end to his night mare and leave for better pastures in Europe. Technically and tactically gifted but the EPL and his age is beyond him. Benny's gone, Walker to me is not back to his best, Jan the Man is class but needs a suitable ally. Dier needs to command more and develop a "John Terry" mongrel about him, Fazio is a back up and that's it. Chrichies will leave, but I think he's ok as right back. The following are the deadwood that REALLY have to leave at seasons end. Paulinho, like Soldado just can't come to grips of the pace of the EPL. His confidence is shot and like Soldado the harder he tries the worse it goes. Townsend, sorry I can't and never had any time for him. If pitches didn't have fencing, he'd be off and down the road. Players would crave his speed, but between the ears, I hear echoes. Lamela I would give him one more year, maybe half. There is a "Bale" similarity about him. Again he's trying to hard and fluffs his lines too often. Capoue is in the same mould as Paulinho, not up to standard. The remainder are to be looked as such, are they the quality of player that is seriously going to place us in the top 4? Maybe if they are surrounded by two of three class players, yes. But Spurs player purchases over the last 10 years seems to suggest this won't happen. If we go youth, there's another 10 year wait. So are Spurs going to splash the cash. If we are to believe everyone in the media, no. The stadium (haha) debate continues with no real firm dates or answers. Spurs have and have had the ability to be amongst the best, but we are very good at shooting both our feet and hands off. In terms of percentages we are 30% below the current top 5 and years away from catching up. No doubting the $ spent by these clubs gives them the ability to buy the class acts when they please, but there are plenty of hidden gems around that don't cost as much.
Lets have a strong finish to the year, and hopefully I'll have to eat my words