Has Tottenham become a better team after selling Bale

After an extraordinary campaign in the 2012-13 Premier League season en route to the PFA Young Player of the Year, the PFA Players’ Player of the Year and the FWA Footballer of the Year honours, Gareth Bale’s transfer was obviously a big blow for Andre Villas-Boas’ Tottenham. Make no mistake; Gareth Bale is an extraordinary talent. Throughout the history of the Barclays Premier League, there are very few footballers who had so much influence on his team. Gareth Bale was arguably the best player to have played for Tottenham Hotspur.

Tottenham may have lost their prized asset, but they’ve made good use of the world-record fee from the Welshman’s sale to completely revolutionise their team. In terms of quality Andre Villas-Boas probably boasts the best squad Spurs have ever possessed. Pretty much everywhere you look, he has options. Hugo Lloris was one of the top goalkeepers last season in his debut campaign with Spurs, Jan Vertonghen’s skill is equivalent to fellow Belgian center-back Vincent Kompany of Manchester City and the arrival of centre back Vlad Chiriches has added steel to the defence. Spurs possess a host of top quality center-midfielders in the Premier League with Sandro, Mousa Dembele and the recently signed Paulinho and Etienne Capoue. They have two of Europe’s most promising playmakers in Christian Eriksen and Lewis Holtby. Also with club-record signing Erik Lamela and Nacer Chadli along with Gylfi Sigurdsson and Aaron Lennon, Spurs can boast of having brilliant wide players. The strike department looks a little weak compared to the other departments and Bale’s 21 Premier League goals would be missed even though the Lilywhites have signed hitman Roberto Soldado from Valencia.

Few could deny that there was an over-reliance on the Welsh wonder. But after seeing their team become the third-highest spenders in Europe this summer — behind Real Madrid and Monaco — Spurs fans can expect better. Tottenham are expected to be genuine title challengers after spending more than £107 billion on players who can beat teams from all angles rather than relying on Gareth Bale. With fans still sore over narrowly losing the coveted fourth spot to Arsenal last season, if the attacking talent gels, people expect Spurs to be in the mix with Chelsea and the Manchester sides at the business end of the season.

English football waited in eager anticipation to see how Tottenham would fare in the post-Gareth Bale era. And now, it seems, we have an answer. After winning eight of their nine matches so far, scoring 22 goals and conceding only one, expectation is growing that the north London club are ready to challenge the established elite. In 54 games last season, they kept only 14 clean sheets. Without Bale, Tottenham have had 105 shots in the Premier League this season. Only Real Madrid (110), Bayern Munich (117), PSG (118) and Borussia Dortmund (136) have more across Europe.

No one can deny there is a reassuring resilience and strength in depth with the current squad but, without diminishing the achievements so far, Spurs have only played one game against top-class opposition. And in that match against Arsenal, they were under par and nonthreatening and lost. However, since that game, Spurs have looked increasingly impressive as the numerous new players have gradually settled in and adjusted to each others’ and Andre Villas-Boas’ style of football. Hence the acid test comes this weekend when they entertain Chelsea at home and this game will allow us to gauge if Tottenham has actually become stronger than last season and if they have really moved on after Bale’s departure.