Tottenham Hotspur’s aspirations of securing a top-four finish in the Premier League this season have come under scrutiny following their recent 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa. Former Aston Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor has been particularly vocal, citing a lack of quality in Tottenham’s attacking ranks as a significant barrier to their ambitions.
In a summer marked by the arrival of Thomas Frank from Brentford, Spurs bolstered their squad with eight new signings. Despite these additions, Tottenham’s form has been less than convincing, particularly in their last outing against Villa, which saw them slip to sixth in the league standings.
Agbonlahor, speaking on talkSPORT, was categorical in his assessment: “There’s no way they’ll make the top four this season. The performance against Aston Villa, along with previous lacklustre displays against Bournemouth and Wolves, highlights their deficiencies. Despite spending £170 million, not including loans for Joao Palhinha and Randal Kolo Muani, they lack a clinical striker.”
He highlighted the underwhelming contributions from recent signings such as Xavi Simons, Mathys Tel, and Wilson Odobert, while noting Richarlison’s inconsistent form: “Simons has played five Premier League games without a goal, Tel has one goal in six appearances, and Odobert has failed to score or assist in eight matches. Richarlison, despite three league goals, hasn’t scored in his last four games.”
Agbonlahor pointed to the absence of key players like Dominic Solanke, James Maddison, and Dejan Kulusevski as detrimental to Spurs’ performance: “In the Premier League, they’re missing crucial figures in the squad. Watching them live, I see no chance of a top-four finish.”
Further compounding Tottenham’s woes is the subdued atmosphere at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which Agbonlahor compared to “a kids’ party”. The lack of energy among the home crowd was evident, with players visibly frustrated by the silence: “The atmosphere was poor, it was eerily silent. Players were trying to rally support, but there was no response from the fans.”
As Tottenham seek to recalibrate their season, questions linger over both their strategy and ambition for achieving success in the current campaign.