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What a difference a year makes at White Hart Lane.
The sale of Gareth Bale triggered a summer signing spree in 2013, allowing Tottenham Hotspur to spend like never before. Some of those signings worked out quite well. Christian Eriksen is on the cusp of stardom, while Paulinho and Vlad Chiriches were solid additions.
Things did not go to plan, however, with a midseason managerial change signalling a new era for the North London side.
Expectations are different this time around, but that isn’t a bad thing. Mauricio Pochettino’s resume speaks for itself, and a season that may have been a write off for some players gives them a valuable year of experience in the Premier League. That matters. We can expect better campaigns from the likes of Roberto Soldado and Erik Lamela.
Here are five Tottenham players to watch when Toronto FC takes on Spurs at BMO field on Wednesday night.
Christian Eriksen
The young Dane recorded 10 goals in 36 games last season and is expected to anchor Tottenham’s midfield under Pochettino.
At 22, Eriksen already displays the work ethic you salivate over.
“He’s a great talent and a great professional,” said striker Emmanuel Adebayor in June.
“He has great vision too. He trains hard every day, early in the morning does his gym work ready to train and before the game you can see how he prepares.”
The youngest player at the 2010 World Cup is only getting better. Expect big things from Eriksen in his sophomore Premier League season.
Roberto Soldado
History indicates Soldado is due for a bounce back year. He scored against the Seattle Sounders over the weekend and caused a nuisance in the penalty area.
Last year was disappointing for the Real Madrid academy product, but like many Spurs players who struggled to adapt to the rigors of the Premier League, one year of experience means a lot.
His track record, scoring 81 goals in 141 appearances for Valencia over three years, says this season will be a better one for the 29-year-old.
Erik Lamela
He isn’t backing down from a rough beginning to his Spurs career. That alone says a lot about who Erik Lamela is and how good he can be,
Linked with a possible move back to Serie A, the 22-year-old is committed to proving his worth in England.
“I hope to show everyone what I can do, especially for the fans and of course for the club,” Lamela said earlier this month. “I’m grateful to the fans for their affection, that’s very important for me. “Hopefully I will get the chance to play and then I will try and perform as well as I can.”
Lewis Holtby
Holtby’s style is a perfect fit for Pochettino’s system. In the mold of Adam Lallana and Jay Rodriguez, players who excelled under Pochettino at Southampton, Holtby’s speed and creativity make him a key piece going forward.
The German opened the scoring against Seattle on the weekend.
At Fulham he showed glimpses of stardom during his loan trial, but Holtby has the talent to excel at a big club like Spurs.
Andros Townsend
An ankle injury prevented Townsend from representing England at the World Cup in Brazil, but the talented winger is fully fit and ready for the 2014/15 campaign.
The 23-year-old played a major role in helping England qualify for the World Cup, only to be fallen by an ill timed injury against Stoke in April.
His health, and his ability to stay fit during the season will have major ramifications for Spurs’ Champions League hopes. Townsend is a difference maker.
Catch Toronto FC take on Tottenham on TSN at 7:00 pm ET on Wednesday night.