What is Tottenham Hotspur’s best starting eleven?

After seven games done and dusted, Tottenham Hotspur sit sixth on the table with 13 points from a possible 21 (before yesterday’s matches). Spurs had a shopping spree in the summer with the whooping amount they received from Real Madrid for star Welshman Gareth Bale. While Roberto Soldado or Erik Lamela haven’t yet made significant contributions yet for the north London side but given their huge reputation, they are ought to come good as the season prolongs.

Christian Eriksen however, has been superb and looks like a steal for just 9m from Ajax. The Dane has been the mainstay of the Spurs midfield and is thriving in his preferred number ten role for AVB’s side. Andros Townsend’s meteoric rise has seen him from being a reserve to Engalnd’s national hero.

While this means Lamela is certain to prolong his bench stints, the former A.S Roma man has also struggled thanks to the physicality of the Premiership.

“English football is a lot more physical. It is not like the tactical game they play in Italy,” he said. “I have talked a lot with my team-mates and I know I have to adapt quickly if I am to keep my place in the national team ahead of the World Cup.”

So let’s pick Tottenham’s best starting eleven as of now.

Hugo Lloris has been terrific at the back barring the West Ham game which can certainly be dubbed as an aberration. In the heart of the defence Jan Vertonghen and captain Micheal Dawson have had a slow start to the season. Both the tall lanky defenders seem to have caught out of pace and need to arrest this as soon as possible.

In the fullbacks role, AVB has the young English pair in Kyle Walker and Danny Rose at his disposal. Both are quite pacy and their bursts forward while attacking is a sign of Tottenham’s attacking strengths. Kyle Naughton has also surprised everyone at White Hart Lane and this healthy competition with Walker will maintain the standards AVB demands from his squad.

For the double pivot of the 4-2-3-1 AVB prefers he has the Brazilian-Belgian duo in Paulinho and Moussa Dembele. While Paulinho loves to make his runs late into the box to enhance Tottenham’s numbers, Dembele is the kind of a player who loves to control the game with his sweet left foot.

Nacer Chadli at the moment finds himself in the starting line up, but if Villas Boas does prefer to play Townsend and Lamela, Chadli may have to settle for a place on the bench. Townsend loves to dribble, dart inside and has a sweet left foot which was full on show in the World Cup Qualifiers. Christian Eriksen has been a stellar signing for Spurs and he plays in the number ten role.

Up front, Soldado hasn’t had the kind of impact one ought to have expected from him. Only two goals that too from the spot, doesn’t certainly justify his price tag yet, but the £26m former Valencia man is lethal in the box. Even when he is not getting the goals, he can make space for others to flourish.

Let’s hope AVB does but a striker in January but certainly if this Spurs side play well and gel together, the azure skies over White Hart Lane is far from turning grey.