Football Manager 2019: Tottenham Team Guide, Player Ratings & Tactics

Ah, Tottenham. So much admiration for the club, yet they are just never quite good enough. Spurs have built a near world class squad by spending a fraction of the money of their top six rivals in the Premier League, earning the club manager and its players plenty of respect. 

You can only do so much on a shoestring however, and although Spurs were in the title race for much of the current season, as soon as the wheels started to come off, inevitably their transfer policy would be questioned. No club in the history of the Premier League has failed to sign a player in a whole season, but Tottenham did exactly that when they opted not to dip into their pockets during either the summer or January transfer windows.

Yes, a new stadium is on the way, but that won’t be the solution for a talented squad who just need to be lifted to the next level. 

Your task is therefore tricky in charge of Tottenham Football Manager 2019, as RealSport gives you all you need to know for the Lilywhites, equipped with little finances to spend. 

Philosophies

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Given Tottenham’s status in British football as well their newfound consistency of making the Premier League top four, they have a whole host of philosophies to follow as manager. On FM, you need to play possession and attacking football, but with a focus on younger players. You need to sign young players for the first team and develop players using the club’s youth system

Expectations

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For your expectations, you will be expected to finish in the top four and qualify for the European Champions Cup. In the FA Cup you will need to reach the final, whereas in Europe the target is to reach the quarter-finals. If you aim for higher targets, you will be given more cash for your transfer budget. 

Tactical style

There are various sensible tactical styles to go for at Tottenham, but with five at the back a realistic possibility given the quality of three centre halves Toby Alderweireld, Davinson Sanchez and Jan Vertonghen to play in a back five, we have gone for fluid counter attack. Other possible tactical styles are control possession, tiki-taka, vertical tiki-taka and wing play. 

Formation

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Since the departure of Mousa Dembele in January without a replacement, the Tottenham squad looks slightly imbalanced. Add to that a string of injuries to the start the campaign (Hugo Lloris, Victor Wanyama, Moussa Sissoko and Vincent Janssen are all out), your hands are tied. We have gone for a bizarre ‘5-1-1-3 DM WB Asymmetric AM (L)’formation, which is essentially a 5-2-3 with players adjusted to play in their best positions. 

If you want a more conventional midfield, go for a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, with another possible five the back formation being a 5-2-1-2. 

Paulo Gazzaniga deputises for the injured Hugo Lloris at the start of the season, with the back five made up by Kieran Trippier, Toby Alderweireld, Davinson Sanchez, Jan Vertonghen and Danny Rose.

Eric Dier is the defensive midfielder, with Christian Eriksen slightly further ahead. Dele Alli is the tricky one to throw in with the England international playing as a right central attacking midfielder, with Heung-Min Son out wide on the left. Harry Kane is the first name on the team sheet up front. 

On the bench go for Michel Vorm, Serge Aurier, Ben Davies, Harry Winks, Erik Lamela, Lucas Moura and Fernando Llorente. Victor Wanyama, Moussa Sissoko and Vincent Janssen will all be in contention upon their return. 

Key players

Tottenham have some world class depth in their squad, giving them a chance against any team they may come up against in the Premier League or in Europe. 

Harry Kane – CA 4.5 star (183), PA 4.5 star (185)

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The jewel in the crown is Harry Kane. Soon to be club captain you would imagine, and you would think any chance of Spurs winning silverware in the years ahead is paramount on the England skipper staying at the club. The 25-year-old already has 124 goals in 174 Premier League games, meaning he is on course to break Alan Shearer’s 260 goal record (441) games).

On FM, Kane has a 183 CA which can improve to a potential of 185. The striker’s best stats include 19 finishing, 19 determination and 19 penalty taking, which see him valued at £78 million and a wage of £200,000 a week. 

Christian Eriksen – CA 4.5 star (178), PA 4.5 star (180)

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Christian Eriksen make the Spurs side tick, with the Danish midfielder one of the finest technicians in the Premier League. Since arriving from Ajax in 2013, Eriksen has assisted 81 goals and scored an additional 63, linking up with the likes of Harry Kane, Heung-Min Son and Dele Alli in attack. 

Eriksen’s 178 CA on the game contains stats of 18 stamina, 18 teamwork and 18 work rate. These can rise slightly for the 26-year-old with his PA at 180, meaning he is valued at £73 million, but his wages are surprisingly low at £75,000 a week. 

Jan Vertonghen – CA 4 star (165), PA 4 star (165)

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Jan Vertonghen organises the defence with the Belgian having been at the club since 2012. The 31-year-old has emerged into one of the finest defenders on the planet, but he has a severe lack of silverware for a man of his calibre. Vertonghen hasn’t picked up a trophy since back-to-back league titles at Ajax in 2011 & 2012, which must change as he moves past his peak.

Vertonghen’s 165 CA is at its maximum potential, and at his age don’t be surprised if his stats of 17 tackling, 16 marking and 16 composure start to fall. The centre back has a value of £47.5 million with wages of £90,000 a week. 

Young talent

Harry Kane, Danny Rose, Harry Winks and Kyle Walker-Peters have all come through the club’s academy in recent years, with names such as Sol Campbell, Ledley King, Peter Crouch, Andros Townsend all becoming England internationals in recent history. Who could be next to club through at Spurs and become a Premier League regular? 

Troy Parrott – CA 1.5 star (87), PA 3.5-4.5 star (150-180)

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Yet to appear for the first team, but with 11 goals in seven U18 Premier League games this season has seen Troy Parrot pop up on the academy radar. He is yet to score at ‘PL2’ level, but aged 17, there is plenty of time for the Irish striker to make his mark. On FM, his 87 CA can rise to a PA between 150 and 180. 

Oliver Skipp – CA 2 star (113), PA 3-4 star (140-170)

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Oliver Skipp has stepped up to the senior side this season, with the defensive midfielder making 10 appearances. The England U18 international has made four starts for the club this season, and if he progresses like many of the other recent graduates, he could help fill the void left by Mousa Dembele in January. The 17-year-old has a 113 CA on FM which can improve to a PA between 140 and 170.

Rodel Richards – CA 1 star (79), PA 2-3 star (130-160)

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Another striker, Rodel Richards is looking to follow in the footsteps of Harry Kane, but hasn’t played enough games in one position to start showing some form. In seven U18 Premier League games this season he has three goals and two assists, but the 17-year-old needs to do more to earn a shot at first team football. A 79 CA should develop to a PA between 130 and 160. 

Team Report

Strengths
Weaknesses
GK Eccentricity
Overall Depth
Heading
Defence depth
Star attacker (Harry Kane)
Midfield depth
Youth Prospects
Transfer budget
Coaching staff
Teamwork
Tackling
Work rate
Scouting staff
Free kick taking
Stamina
Midfield depth
Marking
GK handling
GK one on ones
GK reflexes
GK rushing out
Star goalkeeper (Hugo Lloris)
Star defender (Jan Vertonghen)
Finishing

Dynamics

Team Leaders - Hugo Lloris (C), Harry Kane (VC), Jan Vertonghen

Highly influential - Toby Alderweireld, Christian Eriksen, Dele Alli, Eric Dier, Heung-Min Son, Moussa Sissoko, Harry Winks, Kieran Trippier

The Transfer Market

Starting transfer budget: £12.5 million

Remaining wage budget: £50,000 a week

Player to sell

With four men sidelined through injury at the start of the season, you can’t afford to sell many players, if any, at Tottenham. There are two possible options, Kyle Walker-Peters and Vincent Janssen. With Janssen out injured until the new year, it would make sense to sell him, with the Dutchman likely to fetch you around £8 million. That will add an extra £34,000 a week to your wage budget.

If you want to bring in a new first team player, you need to let a regular go, and this is likely to be Moussa Sissoko. The French international is useful in that he can play in central or right midfield, but in starting the season injured and being your weakest midfield option, you should sell him and bring in a new starter. He should collect you around £14 million and free up £80,000 a week in your wage budget.

Transfer targets

New transfer budget: £35 million

New remaining wage budget: £164,000 a week

Central midfield option

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With Mousa Dembele gone and if you do sell Moussa Sissoko, you will be looking short in central midfield. You can either go down the defensive route, to free up attacking midfielder Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli or go for a versatile player who can play in a number of roles.

The best value for money signing would be Atletico Madrid’s Thomas Partey who can be picked up for just over £20 million. The Ghanaian wages are currently a reasonable £42,000 a week, and he holds a 147 CA with a potential of 162. The 25-year-old’s best stats are 17 teamwork, 16 work rate and 16 stamina. 

Alternative options

Player
Age
Club
Country
CA/ PA
Value
Wage
Hakim Ziyech
25
Ajax
Morocco
150/ 155
£12m
£32k
Ever Banega
30
Sevilla
Argentina
152/ 161
£21m
£110k
Rafinha
25
Barcelona
Brazil
149/ 156
£15m
£77k
Pizzi
28
Benfica
Portugal
148/ 156
£20m
£23k
Giacomo Bonaventura
28
AC Milan
Italy
149/ 155
£24m
£64k

Contracts

Just two players have contracts running out at Tottenham, and despite Fernando Llorente being 33 years old, you should keep him another year to provide backup to Harry Kane. If you manage to find a replacement next season, you can sell him. 

As for Michel Vorm, he is now the third-choice goalkeeper behind Hugo Lloris and Paulo Gazzaniga, and you can afford to release him at the end of the season. If Lloris wasn’t injured at the start of the campaign, you could sell the Dutchman straightaway. 

Finances

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Tottenham’s finances look to be in check with the club balance on the rise. Turnover will increase for a year, perhaps due to the completion of the new stadium, with profit starting to depreciate at the end of the season. There is no reason to be alarmed, and even though expenditure is likely to increase, you should have a much more sensible bank balance of £120 million next season. 

No money, no problem?

It’s been a remarkable season, all things considering, for Tottenham in real life, with the club reaching the last eight of the Champions League, last four of the EFL Cup and challenging for the title until March. This has all been done without spending any money (Spurs have made a £13 million profit on transfer activity this season), but you cannot expect to pick up silverware doing the same.

Be shrewd in the market to add that little bit of quality in the transfer market, and it may take selling one of your talented players to give you the funds to bring in more quality to the club. Either way, it will be a tough season for Spurs, but anything worth having never comes easy. 

Full Tottenham player ratings

Player
Age
Pos
Role
Duty
Role Ability
CA/ PA
Starting lineup
Paulo Gazzaniga
26
GK
SK
Defend
2.5 star
138/ 144
Kieran Trippier
27
DR WBR
WB FB
Any
3 star
146/ 152
Toby Alderweireld
29
DC
BPD
Any
4 star
163/ 170
Davinson Sanchez
22
DC
BPD
Any
3 star
149/ 165
Jan Vertonghen
31
DC
BPD
Any
4 star
165/ 165
Danny Rose
28
DL WBL
WB
Support Auto Defend
3 star
146/ 152
Eric Dier
24
DM MC DC
BWM HB DM SV
Defend Support Auto
3.5 star
152/ 162
Christian Eriksen
26
AMC MC
AP AM DLP
Support Attack
4.5 star
178/ 180
Dele Alli
22
AMC AML
AP AM SS
Support Attack
4 star
164/ 176
Heung-Min Son
26
AML ST
Winger
Support Attack
3.5 star
157/ 159
Harry Kane
25
ST
DLF AF CF
Support Attack
4.5 star
183/ 185
Substitutes
Michel Vorm
34
GK
SK
Support Attack
2.5 star
131/ 146
Ben Davies
25
DL
WB FB
Any
3 star
142/ 146
Serge Aurier
25
DR
WB
Support Auto
2.5 star
142/ 144
Harry Winks
22
MC
DLP B2B
Support Defend
3 star
143/ 152
Erik Lamela
26
AMR AMC
AP IF
Support Attack
2.5 star
142/ 150
Lucas Moura
25
MR AMR
Winger
Attack Support
3 star
146/ 156
Fernando Llorente
33
ST
DLF
Support Attack
2.5 star
133/ 159
Reserves
Kyle Walker-Peters
21
DR WBR
WB FB
Any
2.5 star
133/ 142
Juan Foyth
20
DC
BPD Libero
Defend Support Cover
2.5 star
129/ 155
Injured
Hugo Lloris
31
GK
SK
Support Attack
3.5 star
159/ 170
Victor Wanyama
27
DM MC
BWM
Defend Support
3 star
144/ 154
Moussa Sissoko
28
MC MR
B2B Winger
Support
2.5 star
143/ 150
Vincent Janssen
24
ST
PF DLF
Attack Support
2.5 star
134/ 145