Tottenham Hotspur - Sandro
Tottenham Hotspur have often been considered as the most unfortunate team in the history of the Premier League, and last year did nothing to contradict that conclusion. When it appeared they had everything nailed down in a Champions League spot, they allowed themselves to be caught by Arsenal into the last few weeks of the season. Now, not only do they face another season in the Europa League, but that may have also cost them Gareth Bale's services. The Welshman has been linked to Real Madrid all throughout the Summer, and now it seems that the deal is certain to go ahead for a world record fee. The fact that it has dragged on so long will only hurt Tottenham when they attempt to spend the vast amount of money they will get for Bale. The fact that Daniel Levy is the most stubborn and tight chairman in football may detract from Andre Villas-Boas's attempt to bring Tottenham one place higher than last year. The club has spent a lot of money on new players to help them achieve this, with the signings of Nacer Chadli, Paulinho and Roberto Soldado costing over £50 million. These players have huge prospects at Tottenham, and hopefully will adapt to the league quickly to counteract their inexperience of English football. But, they have been equally focused on the exit door as well, with Tom Huddlestone, Clint Dempsey and Steven Caulker gone, with Scott Parker and Jermain Defoe rumoured to join them. The club certainly has an abundance of quality both attacking and defending, but the manager needs to know who he will be taking charge of very soon. With the future of Bale up in the air it seemed wrong to place him as Spurs' key player this year, so instead I chose the versatile midfielder Sandro. The Brazilian's season last year was disrupted by injury, so he failed to have the impact that he potentially offered the club. But, if he stays fit this year, he can have a definitive impact on the success of Tottenham in the upcoming year. Sandro is tough tackling and performs a necessary role in keeping the team ticking over in possession of the ball, which consequently gives the players in the final third chances to score. He is excellent at breaking up opponents' possession with a firm tackle or timely interception, reads the game remarkably well for a young player, and when he does venture forward has a wicked long range shot that could burst through the back of the net. Ensuring that he is fit regularly will be the main issue for him this year, but given the majority of games Sandro will be a vital asset for the club. Like Michael Carrick this year he will not grab the headlines often, but will keep the matches running smoothly for Spurs and be the chief mechanic in their midfield engine room. (And the award for worst footballing metaphor goes to...)
Where will they finish? - 6th