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In theory, Tottenham can fully acheive their goal of finishing in the top Four this season because, in theory, they have improved their side from the squad that finished fifth last season and fifth the year before. However, in sport 'theory' is never enough. Virtually every side has improved considerably in the pre-season and I estimate that this year's winners will have fewer points that in recent years simply because there are fewer points up for grabs. In all honesty Spurs will have a harder time keeping other teams; Portsmouth, Newcastle United and Blackburn to name a few, away from their regular fifth than they will in propelling themselves into fourth.

They still seem uncomfortable with their formation and appear to have too many central midfielders and too few wingers. The jury is still out on Aaron Lennon, his ability is clearly acknowledged and he is an asset to the team but what about his consistency? and with the arrival of Darren Bent, which granted is seen as a worthwhile addition this season, they have once again a question over their first choice of strikers; do you hope for a repeat of the successful partnership that Berbatov and Keane enjoyed last year, and if so what do you do with the 16m signing Bent, or do you hope Bent can partner Berbatov, who would surely be a manager Jol's first choice, or go with a 4-3-3 formation and hope that you can get some consistency out of your countless and doubtlessly rotated midfielders?
Those issues aside, Spurs have their own consistency issues to worry about. As usual they were off to a sleepy start this weekend, losing to newly promoted albeit highly fired-up side Sunderland in a game that they appeared to control yet failed to create any chances in. Will they have their usual slow start? Arsenal will not be as vulnerable this season as they were last season. Ok, no Henry and a rocky start against Fulham on Sunday but this season there shouldn't be half the personnel issues that surrounded the Emirates in its first season last year.
Furthermore all of the teams finishing in the top four last year were contending for silverware on all fronts last season and each one of them made it to at least one cup final while Spurs enjoyed a successful stint in Europe's second tier tournament the UEFA cup, they were nowhere near as successful as Man United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal and not until they shape themselves up and start to threaten these teams in all fronts and aim to be 'in with a shout' at the title for a good part of the season will they be able to find themselves finishing fourth. They came close two seasons ago when a weakened side lost 4th place to Arsenal on the final day of the season but again, that was a year in which Arsenal's league form suffered at the hand of a Champions League run that saw them all the way to the final. Spurs can no longer rely on Arsenal's bad form to leave that 4th spot 'up for grabs' and need to work a lot harder in order to take it for themselves.

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