10 reasons why Tottenham Hotspur are Champions League contenders this season

#7 Hugo Lloris

Spurs' saviour on many occasions

In the goalkeeping department, Tottenham are equally strong. Long-term goalkeeper, Hugo Lloris has long considered amongst the world's best goalkeepers even when he was still at Lyon. But the French number 1 has continued to gain experience and has added to his outstanding shot-stopping ability with an improvement in handling and the development of his 'sweeper keeper' role.

Lloris has not only been a mainstay in the Tottenham team, but has been ever-present in France's national team side, winning 94 caps to date. He is hugely influential in Tottenham's side with 190 appearances and the club captainship (ahead of leaders like Vertonghen and Kane) show that he commands a great deal of respect from the back.

Whilst Lloris has been accused of being mistake prone and this isn't a far-reaching claim, he has been as solid as ever, as shown by Saturday's North London Derby when he sprung to save from Jack Wilshere after not really being called into action for the three-quarters of the match up until that point. And he will have to be just as solid if Spurs want to progress in Europe this year.

#8 Squad depth

Not a bad option as a backup, eh?

Tottenham, over the last year or two, have managed to expand their squad with quality, either through signings or through giving youth an opportunity. Harry Winks and Kyle Walker-Peters are good examples of this youth promotion.

It has left Tottenham with a squad of at least 2 players in each position, and this will be essential when fighting on three fronts going into the back end of this season. The squad cover is as follows (in a 4-2-3-1 formation):

· GK: Hugo Lloris, Michel Vorm, Paulo Gazzaniga

· RB: Serge Aurier, Kieran Trippier, Kyle Walker-Peters

· CB: Toby Alderweireld, Davinson Sanchez, Juan Foyth (Not in the UCL squad)

· CB: Jan Vertonghen, Eric Dier

· LB: Danny Rose, Ben Davies, Kyle Walker-Peters, Jan Vertonghen

· CM: Victor Wanyama, Eric Dier

· CM: Mousa Dembele, Harry Winks, Moussa Sissoko

· AM: Heung-Min Son, Lucas Moura

· AM: Dele Alli, Moussa Sissoko

· AM: Christian Eriksen, Erik Lamela

· ST: Harry Kane, Fernando Llorente