Here Today Gone Tomorrow Same Old Spurs To Follow

How to replace Gareth Bale? That is the conundrum discussed to death in recent weeks but which must, nonetheless, be analysed and eventually solved by Tottenham Hotspur Chairman Daniel Levy, with last knockings almost upon us in this summer’s transfer window, as he attempts to assemble and shape a squad capable of taking Spurs to the next level and pose a genuine threat to the established top four.

Elation always seems to be short-lived for Spurs fans, bringing with it the inevitable sense of what could - and perhaps should - have been: a club record 72 Premier League points were accumulated last term but the opportunity to play Champions League football this time around was somehow squandered; while the acquisition of genuine quality in the form of Paulinho, Nacer Chadli, Roberto Soldado and Etienne Capoue this summer is in all probability to be offset by the exodus of their talisman and figurehead, albeit potentially for a world record fee.

The want-away Welshman’s long and drawn out promotional campaign aimed at his target market in Madrid has been frustrating in the extreme for all concerned; not least because it has created an uncertainty that comes with slowly peeling a plaster from a gaping wound, rather than ripping off the bandages in order to expose and treat the ailment without suffering overdue duress.

Moreover, should Bale now unexpectedly flounder in his attempt to take flight to the Spanish capital, it would leave a jet-black cloud hovering over White Hart Lane, creating a sombre atmosphere at the club; the kind which would render progressive thoughts improbable, if not utterly inconceivable, throughout a squad that ought really to be reaching the loftiest of heights over the impending season.

Take Bale out of the equation – and maybe, with it, put many out of their misery – and there is ample reason to be upbeat about the next ten months for the Tottenham faithful. Andre Villas Boas will relish being able to call upon Spanish international centre-forward Soldado to lead the line in his favoured 4-2-3-1 set-up, having witnessed Bale’s goal-getting exploits surpass the combined efforts of both his recognised strikers last time around.

Soldado, signed for £26m at the start of this month after Spurs activated the 28-year-old’s buy-out clause at Valencia, will offer an altogether different threat at the sharp end of the attack, with the one-time Real Madrid front-man coming off the back of a campaign in which he scored 30 times in all competitions; the third time in succession he had notched 25 or more at the Mestalla.

Whereas Jermain Defoe’s single-minded, shoot-on-sight policy and the sustained aggression of a seldomly on-song Emmanuel Adebayor have each enjoyed intermittent success in North London, Soldado, who scored 24 in La Liga alone last term, all from inside the area, promises more well-rounded input, borne out of his persistence in the final third and efficiency in front of goal.

He has set himself a 20-goal target for his first year in England and hit the ground running by confidently dispatching a spot-kick against Espanyol in front of his new followers last weekend.

Service will, however, be vital if targets are to be met and, to that end, the purchase of Paulinho, so sumptuous for Brazil during their successful Confederations Cup campaign last month, from Corinthians in his homeland is likely to be crucial in building a stage upon which the supporting cast in offence can operate.

Charged with shielding a back four led by Chelsea’s enigmatic enforcer David Luiz this summer, Tottenham’s new number 15 acted more as a traditional number 10 than a number 4 at times, as he grabbed a vital equaliser against England en route to scoring twice more and claiming the Bronze Ball at the World cup warm-up event as the third-best player at the tournament.

The 25-year-old was so effective attacking from deep that Arsenal target Luis Gustavo was introduced to compensate for his forward movement and it will be intriguing to see how Villas Boas approaches the dilemma of whether to curb these incisive and often sublime instincts or to rein them in while the £17m man is lining-up on his watch.

Perhaps it is with this quandary in mind that Capoue has been drafted in from Toulouse this week, adding further competition to an area of the squad that already seemed exceptionally well-stocked, even after the departures of Tom Huddlestone and Jake Livermore to Hull City, the latter on loan, and soon-to-be-finalised sale of Scott Parker to either Fulham or Queens Park Rangers. This is especially true when considering the collective talents of Paulinho, fit-again compatriot Sandro, fledgling German international Lewis Holtby and burgeoning Belgian star Mousa Dembele.

The Frenchman performed the anchor role for his team with distinction last year but has also been touted as the ideal candidate to fill the void created by the release of William Gallas and Steven Caulker’s move to Cardiff City by slotting into a central defensive position as and when required. Should the need arise, the France international will also be perfectly prepared to venture up-field, having contributed seven goals and three assists to Toulouse’s cause in 2012-13, although he will most probably be handed the task of holding the midfield alongside Paulinho, with Dembele or the impressive Gylfi Sigurdsson advancing to link with the forwards.

Supplementing a strikeforce still likely to be reinforced before 2 September, with all manner of names being associated with a reassignment along Bill Nicholson Way while the Bale saga drags on, will be Chadli; the lesser known of the new recruits but by no means necessarily less inventive, judging by the Belgian’s energetic home debut against Espanyol.

The former FC Twente winger’s first aim will surely be simply to force his way into the mind of the manager and then into a starting berth, as the 24-year-old enters a crucial stage of his career. Meanwhile, Villas Boas will be looking for an improved start, following a winless first three games of last season as a result of a glut of late arrivals, as his side seek to make amends for their inconsistent showings during a far-from-straightforward pre-season programme with three points at promoted Crystal Palace on Sunday.

With a multitude of options at AVB’s disposal, it should certainly not be all doom and gloom at the Lane right now. Nor should the apparently imminent exit of their main protagonist give rise to the predictable scare-mongering.

On the contrary, Hugo Lloris is a top-class custodian ideally suited to playing as the modern sweeper-keeper in the current system while, ahead of the French number one, Michael Dawson and Jan Vertonghen look capable of forming a dynamic yet rock-solid centre-back partnership for many years to come, so long as they can both stay off the treatment table long enough to fully familiarise themselves with one another’s game. The raw talent of Zeki Fryers, along with the returning Younes Kaboul, provide encouraging, if a little experimental, back-up.

It is the full-back positions, which are arguably most in need of addressing, as the lung-busting runs of Kyle Walker and Benoit Assou-Ekotto, or otherwise deputies Danny Rose and Kyle Naughton - while frequently devastating to opposition back-lines, contorting defences and placing offside traps under intense scrutiny - can leave the team vulnerable to a swift counter if possession is relinquished when over-committed.

The desire and tactical awareness, therefore, of Paulinho, Capoue and co. to cover these areas will be a key factor in determining Spurs’ chances of consistently out-scoring teams, particularly at home, where they will be relentlessly driven on by an expectant public.

Were another proven attacker, such as Roma’s Erik Lamela; described as "the Argentine Cristiano Ronaldo", to join in time for the close of this summer’s business, possibly along with another seasoned centre-half to countenance recent injury records, Levy should feel able to allow Defoe to complete his mooted move to QPR while still providing his head coach with enough ammunition to mount a genuine title challenge.

Money has been made available before the Bale cash has hit the coffers. The club’s record transfer fee has been smashed not once but twice, signalling a distinct statement of intent. There is a clear, long-term strategy in play at White Hart Lane and one that is not in great danger of being derailed by the loss (or mere head-turning) of any one player; no matter how high-profile.