Tottenham transfer signings Clinton N'Jie and Heung-Min Son can ease the burden on Harry Kane
Sunday 13 September 2015 14:44, UK
Will Tottenham's new-look attack have enough firepower without Saido Berahino? Nick Wright takes a look ahead of their Super Sunday clash with Sunderland…
You might not believe it from the bitter fallout of the Saido Berahino saga, but there were plenty of positives for Tottenham in the transfer window.
Five new signings bolstered defence and attack, prized assets Hugo Loris and Harry Kane stayed put, and a large chunk of deadwood was shifted to balance the books.
The failure to land Berahino was an undoubted blow, but Spurs made their position clear in a statement released last week when Mauricio Pochettino insisted they are well stocked.
"Much has been said about us only having one recognised striker in Harry," he said. "I don't accept this at all. The positional play of today's forwards means it's too simplistic to look for goals from any one position - playing a fluid style means players switch."
A winless start to the season with only three goals scored in four games does not exactly inspire confidence in Pochettino's comments, but Tottenham's front line is likely to be re-shaped in the coming weeks - and the stats show they are already creating plenty of opportunities.
According to Opta, Spurs have actually created the joint-most clear chances in the Premier League this season with 10 - that's three more than Manchester City. The problem is that eight of those opportunities have gone begging, with Kane so far unable to replicate last season's deadly form in front of goal.
Spurs will be hoping his goals for England against San Marino and Switzerland can help him get back on track in the Premier League, but equally important are the arrivals of Heung-Min Son and Clinton N'Jie to ease the goalscoring burden on the talismanic 22-year-old.
Son is the more established of the pair. The South Korea international shone in the Bundesliga with Hamburg and Bayer Leverkusen, making 136 appearances after bursting onto the scene as a teenager. Despite rarely featuring as central striker, Son is one of only four players to have scored 10 or more goals in each of the last three seasons in Germany - putting him in the esteemed company of Robert Lewandowksi, Thomas Muller and Max Kruse.
Son's shot conversion rate of 23.9 per cent last season was only marginally lower than Kane's 25.9 per cent, and he showcased his finishing ability with a hat-trick for South Korea last week - albeit against lowly Laos.
The 23-year-old is good with both feet, and his pace, work ethic and counter-attacking threat will provide a much-needed injection of dynamism for Spurs. Son loves to carry the ball from deep, while he also offers intelligent movement in the final third and a willingness to run in behind the defence.
Those attributes are good news for Christian Eriksen in particular. Only four players created more chances than Tottenham's No 10 last season (84), and Son's clever runs will provide a perfect target for his threaded through balls. The likes of Nacer Chadli, Erik Lamela and Mousa Dembele do not offer the same level of pace and movement.
N'Jie is another speedy forward with an eye for goal who Eriksen will enjoy playing with. The 22-year-old Cameroon international is not as experienced as Son having only broken into the Lyon first team last season, but his numbers were nonetheless impressive. In 15 starts and the same number as substitute appearances, N'Jie posted seven goals and seven assists in Ligue 1.
N'Jie could miss Sunday's trip to Sunderland as he continues his recovery from injury, but he and Son should bring greater potency to Tottenham's flanks this season. "We secured Sonny and Clinton in the knowledge that we may not be adding any other forward," said Pochettino, suggesting they could also be used through the middle.
With Emmanuel Adebayor frozen out to the extent that he does not even have a squad number, Pochettino's comments can't mask the fact that they don't have a natural striker behind Kane. Spurs will have to pray that their main-man stays injury-free.
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But while their pursuit of Berahino ended in frustration, the supporting cast is undoubtedly stronger than last season. Son and N'Jie add goalscoring potential and should bring out the best in Eriksen, while Chadli will be hoping to build on his 13-goal campaign in 2014/15. Beyond that, the highly promising Dele Alli already looks like he'll play an important role having arrived from MK Dons in the summer.
And with the stats suggesting they are already getting the ball into the right areas, there is reason to believe Spurs' prospects are not quite as bleak as many have made out. A fit and firing Kane remains important to their chances, but Pochettino's revamped attack can help them share goalscoring responsibilities.
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