Barclays Premier League Season Preview- Tottenham Hotspur. Another view.

Nathan Kosky takes another look at Tottenham Hotspur ahead of the 2011-2012 Barclays Premier League season.

End of season expectations: 5th in the league, with the hope of higher. A final in one of the cups. If we have to be in the Europa League, we might as well try and win it! 

Modric and Bale were Tottenham's stand out players last term.

Key players: 
Looks like Modric and Bale will stay for another year at least, and if the club can find an equally good striker the jigsaw looks pretty complete. 

The boys from White Hart Lane look forward to 2011/12 on the back of yet another upwardly mobile season. Over the last 5 years, Tottenham have been undoubtedly been on a rise which has become meteoric under manager Harry Redknapp. Despite not making the top four in May, last season saw a memorable debut in the Champions League; despatching both Milan teams on the way, and a league campaign spent in the upper reaches of the table throughout. Indeed, the last time I can remember seriously putting the words 'Spurs' and 'win the league' in the same sentence was 1985, which highlights the club's progress in recent seasons. The failure to pick up maximum points against the likes of Wolves, Blackpool and Wigan was, ultimately, the only shortfall preventing another Champions League place or better.

Redknapp will face his biggest test this year.

The future looks challenging if Spurs are going to keep on an upward curve however, not because the team is lacking in much that a positive transfer window will not mend, but a few factors will make it increasingly hard to make it back into the top four.    

Firstly, there is now a 'Big 6' and competing with the wealth of United, Chelsea, Liverpool and City will be challenging without the additional income that the much sought new stadium would offer. The club is in a race against time to find a new 60,000-capacity home, and the associated revenues, whilst remaining in touch with the upper echelons of the Premier League. 

Secondly, Harry Redknapp is in court facing a tax evasion charge in July, if he loses it will cast his future in doubt. If he wins, surely he is the heir apparent to Capello in the Wembley hot-seat. Either way, his time at Spurs looks assured for the short-term only.     Finally, the Europa League feels less like a consolation prize these days and more of a fixture handicap. Trying to perform on all fronts might just allow Liverpool and others an advantage.  

Despite these dangers, it is hard not to get swept away with the continued optimism that Spurs can dislodge Arsenal or even Manchester City subject to adding more reliable striking options in what looks like a summer overhaul of the squad.  Spurs fans have always known and demanded attacking football, great players and plenty of drama; if not trophies. There can be few complaints of Harry's team, which has continued in this tradition. Another year of that would be success in itself.     

Written by Nathan Kosky, who can be found on Twitter @Nathsky, and will hopefully be seen more on Finding Row Z.