Monday 2 November 2015 16:22, UK
Jamie Redknapp on the importance of Harry Kane and Mauricio Pochettino to Spurs and why Aston Villa's transfer policy has proved costly...
Harry Kane is back.
People were questioning whether he was just a one season wonder after he'd scored just one goal for Tottenham in his first 12 appearances this term.
But after seeing him score a hat-trick against Bournemouth last weekend, I'm expecting him to go on a run.
And he'll have a great opportunity to continue his goal-scoring on Monday Night Football, when he comes up against an Aston Villa side that has hit rock bottom.
I'd be amazed if Gary and Jamie aren't talking about another Harry Kane goal at the end of the show.
Kane's performances have been good this year but he's just been snatching at his opportunities. Those three goals against Bournemouth will settle him down, though, and I see no reason why he can't go on to match the 21 goals he scored in the Premier League last season.
Remember, he hadn't even scored one Premier League goal at this point last season. Now he's up to four.
The two most important people at Tottenham right now are Kane and his manager Mauricio Pochettino - who I've been so impressed with. They are key to Tottenham doing well and to have their main man firing again will be a huge boost.
Spurs have got themselves into a really good position, given Chelsea's stuttering start, and they'll be looking to kick-on with another win on Monday night.
It looks as though Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United will fight it out for the top three places in the league but fourth is up for grabs. I still wouldn't write Chelsea off - they've got too many good players there - but this Tottenham team are well placed and performing well.
The two most important people at Tottenham right now are Harry Kane and his manager Mauricio Pochettino. They are key to Spurs doing well.
I was critical of them earlier in the season, saying they don't have enough players who get you out of your seat. And they don't, compared to Spurs sides of the past.
But there's a lot to admire about them - and that is down to the manager. Pochettino has got them fit and organised. He's given them some real discipline in how they play, the young players have bought into what he wants and I've been very impressed.
They've still got a way to go but, if Pochettino is given some money in the future and is able to add some really good players and get them playing in his style, there's no reason why Tottenham can't become regulars in the top four. That's how good a manager he is.
We don't see managers given long periods of time to develop teams at Tottenham but I'd love to see what Pochettino could build there. The problem is, when the biggest clubs are looking for a new manager he's going to be on everybody's list.
Tottenham need to look after him because they've got a good one there.
Aston Villa would love to be able to bring someone like Pochettino into their club.
Despite their position, I still believe the Aston Villa manager's job is a great job. Whoever gets appointed is a very, very lucky man.
It's not the best group of players in the world at the moment and the recruitment wasn't very good in the summer.
But, although it's going to be a real battle for them, I still think they'll stay up. There will be three teams weaker than them over the course of the season.
The teams that have been promoted to the Premier League have adapted well, so there is a real chance a big club could be sucked in and relegated this year. Villa need to make sure it's not them.
However, I'm not sure Remi Garde - who seems set for the job - is the answer. If I was a Villa fan, would he inspire me? No, not really. But it's typical of the modern day game that the club look abroad for a solution. Don't tell me there aren't English managers out there with the same credentials as Garde.
Unfortunately, what's happened to Sherwood hasn't been good for English managers. Going foreign is the easy option for Villa.
Whoever is appointed will have a real job on their hands. Villa are favourites for the drop and on a horror run at the moment.
This has been coming for the past five or six years and selling Christian Benteke, Fabian Delph and Andreas Weimann, who was a big part of what they do, didn't help them in the summer. They then took a gamble on new signings who had no Premier League experience - who they felt they may be able to cash-in on in a couple of years' time - and it hasn't paid off so far.
Villa are bottom of the league and they'll be beaten again on Monday.
They are playing the wrong team at the wrong time and they don't have a manager. For Spurs and Harry Kane, this is a great opportunity to take advantage.
Watch Tottenham v Aston Villa live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 7pm on Monday Night Football.
