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Second in the Premier League, three points behind the leaders Leicester and three points ahead of rivals Arsenal.

Throw that into the pot and add some Europa League success and it looks like it is the best season for many a decade to be a Spurs fan right now.

The manager who brought in his own philosophy and bought the right players to make that work, has said: “Nobody speaks about the title in our dressing room. We believe we can win every game and we’ll see what happens.”

43-year-old Pochettino, in his second season as Tottenham boss, is stealing a march over the usual top four clubs this year and could win the club it’s first Premier League title, while those around him are faltering.

“It is not important that Arsenal lost,” said Pochettino to Sky Sports. “What is important is our own performance and there are still 11 Premier League games ahead.”

The young academy players are also getting a look in at White Hart Lane and that can only bode well for the club’s future in a world of extortionate transfer fees.

The danger for every other Premier League club is that the more Tottenham play, the stronger they seem to get and there seems no end to their form, either in the domestic league or in Europe. Fiorentina are no push-overs in Serie A, yet Spurs swept them aside.

They have shown resilience and a spirit of never say die, their comeback over Swansea City last weekend underlined their stoic play. It also proved they can win without Harry Kane. Alarm bells should be sounding across the Premier League, as Spurs will undeniably push Leicester all the way, whatever the other clubs are doing.

Borussia Dortmund are next in Europe for Spurs and will provide a sterner test for the men from North London, but there is every expectation that the good news will just keep coming for Spurs fans.

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It’s not all plain sailing, though. Once you start to make a name for yourself, other clubs take notice. Last summer, Manchester United were meant to be interested in Harry Kane – now they could be interested in the Spurs manager instead.

Pochettino said recently: “My focus is here, to try for success at Tottenham and to work hard. That’s all about rumours. I don’t mind, we are supposed to receive the rumours and we are in a media that all is about rumours.

“But I don’t care about that. I always work for the present and the future. I’m very happy here. We’ve created after 18 months a very good group, with a strong basis for success in the future and I’m very happy.

Not only are times good for Spurs fans on the field, but off the field as well. Their £400million new stadium has edged another step closer after the club’s plans were approved by the Mayor of London.

Spurs hope to complete the 61,000 capacity stadium for the 2018-19 season and Boris Johnson has now given the thumbs up to the scheme, which received the backing of Haringey Council in December.

However, the famous old club needs more than to just get into the Champions League here or there. They could be in the mix every season. They are also highly ambitious and capable of so much.

They attract quality players and only now need to build on the stability of the club by keeping Pochettino and buying a player that adds that extra dimension to the squad.

This, in effect, is a team worth watching in the future because they are possibly the only team that could consistently break up the supposed big four.

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In what’s been a season that’s seen Leicester City players shot into the spotlight and international stage, one man seems to have been forgotten: Marc Albrighton.

Where his fellow team-mates N’Golo Kanté and Jamie Vardy have rightly made their international debuts for France and England respectively this season, Albrighton is yet to receive the call from manager Roy Hodgson.

Albrighton has appeared for both the U20 and U21 England sides and now, at the age of 26, has shown this season he deserves the biggest stage of all.

Breaking into the Aston Villa squad in the 2009-10 season, Albrighton was a prominent figure under Martin O’ Neill as Villa looked to make the Champions League places. The midfielder looked like he was going to earn an England debut then, but it never materialised and Albrighton’s career began to stall.

Loaned out to Wigan Athletic in 2013 it looked as though that early promise would prove futile. To cap it off, Albrighton was released by Villa in 2014 before being signed on a free by Leicester. He became a forgotten man, just another player to have featured in the Premier League. How times have changed, as he has been a regular fixture in the Foxes side ever since, and Albrighton looks to be back at his best in their quest for the title.

The key to England’s success at Euro 2016 is going to be them being able to spring some surprises against the biggest sides. Over the years England have been a very predictable opponent at tournaments, whether that be through tiredness after a long domestic season or simply not being technically good enough. This year, though, one thing England can boast is that they have a much younger team that the opposition won’t know much about.

Marc Albrighton offers something that few other English players do in the sense of how direct his running is. The winger has always been able to take on his opposing full back and deliver a cross – and looking at England’s squad, that ability is lacking.

There are of course players that can beat men, Ross Barkley and Raheem Sterling are two that will be on the plane who certainly can. Likewise, there are some players that will travel to France that can cross a ball, James Milner has 11 assists this calendar year, many from wide positions. But in terms of combining both attributes only Marc Albrighton seems to have this at the moment.

Then consider who might go instead of Albrighton. Theo Walcott, Ashley Young and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all might consider themselves with good chances of making the squad. But have they done as well as Albrighton this year or even played as consistently well? The likely answer is no.

This isn’t to say that Albrighton will be the first name on the teamsheet but he should be in the squad to ensure Hodgson has the option of what the right midfielder can offer. There may be times at the Euros where England need to stretch the play and get some more width, currently England look a very narrow team with players like the aforementioned Sterling preferring to cut inside.

Albrighton offers width, crossing ability and the element of the unknown that the England squad seems to be embracing this year. For these reasons, he deserves a Euro spot.

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Whether it was ever a title race or not between Spurs and Leicester, the latter have won and are deservedly champions of England.

Spurs, although never really breathing down the Foxes’ necks, hung in there for the latter half of the campaign and have, arguably, been the best side in English football over the past few months, and this positivity must be harnessed.

Indeed, a campaign of Champions League football awaits – which would have been seen as a fantastic achievement before a ball was kicked – which will allow Mauricio Pochettino to keep his star names and sprinkle his squad with a little bit of star dust over the summer.

And that’s what the club must do; just make a few choice additions to compliment what’s already happening. That said, depth will be needed with the rotation that ‘Poch’ seized in the Europa League not an option for next season, but there’s no need to spend big, because the Londoners have plenty of options ready to step up.

With that in mind, here are FIVE youngsters that may well save the Argentine a fortune in the coming months…

DeAndre Yedlin

On loan at Sunderland, Yedlin’s performances have been a key part of Sunderland’s relatively strong survival hopes. The America international originally signed for the Lilywhites from Seattle Sounders back in 2015, but spent six months acclimatising to English football with the Londoners before being pushed into the deep end at the Stadium of Light.

Initially it looked as though the 22-year-old may indeed drown in the rising tide of relegation in the North East, but he’s come to the fore as the campaign has progressed, very much learning on the job under Sam Allardyce.

Pochettino is known to be a manager that demands a lot of his full-backs, so with top level European football and domestic responsibilities, Yedlin looks likely to get plenty of football alongside Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier, while his ferocious pace could make him a late counter-attacking option further up the field.

Josh Onomah

The 19-year-old has dipped in and out of the senior side this term, playing semi-regularly in the Europa League, while making seven appearances, all as a sub, in the Premier League.

Standing at 5ft. 11, Onomah is no giant in the holding midfield area of the pitch, but the England U19 international is tenacious, energetic and able to cover the ground, which may make him more appealing going forward that the once highly-rated Nabil Bentaleb.

Unlikely to be a starter, the teenager possesses sufficient quality and fits Pochettino’s plans well enough to be a squad player, which, at his age, may be enough to keep him happy.

Clinton N’Jie

We often see it… players that come in at a young age have a difficult first season before exploding in their second full campaign.

N’Jie has slipped further and further from the starting XI in recent times, due in part to injury issues, but the Cameroonian has too much raw potential to be written off just yet, and looks in the mould of a player that can shine once he’s taken to the pace and physicality of the Prem – Erik Lamela is a prime example of this.

The 22-year-old is able to play in any attacking midfielder role, and could well be a useful tool in Europe next season when Spurs could be forced into a rigid counter-attacking system against bigger sides – whom they’re likely to face given the Champions League’s seeding system.

Cameron Carter-Vickers

Already dubbed the ‘new Ledley King’, Carter-Vickers is extremely highly thought of behind the scenes at White Hart Lane, with his athleticism and maturity having drawn comparisons with the aforementioned Lilywhites idol.

The teenager’s inclusion in the European matchday squad against Monaco earlier in the campaign set tongues wagging among the north Londoners’ fanbase – as did his trip with the squad to face Fiorentina in the last 32 – but supporters are yet to get a glimpse of him in competitive action.

Alas, pre-season could hand the USA U-23 international a chance to impress Pochettino, who, beyond Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen and Kevin Wimmer, is not exactly blessed with centre-back options.

Harry Winks

Like his fellow midfielder, Onomah, Winks has had a few fleeting outings for Spurs in the Europa League this term, and although he’s amassed just 17 minutes of game time, he’s shown enough both in the senior ranks and in the youth teams to somewhat justify the hype.

Although talented, the lack of a defensive edge to his midfield game may see Winks overlooked by Pochettino, but in games where a little more guile is needed, the 20-year-old could be a useful option from the bench.

Before the European Championships, Hal Robson-Kanu had just left Championship side Reading.

In the aftermath of Wales’ Euro 2016 semi-final loss to Portugal, Robson-Kanu admitted that his performances in France had increased the demand for his services. He said he had received offers from “the Premier League and the rest of the world,” though hinted at a preference to stay in England.

Moments like his winning goal against Slovakia, and the Cruyff turn with which he bamboozled Belgium’s defenders, have made hot property of someone who has played the majority of his football in the Championship.

The 27-year-old came through Reading’s academy and had loan spells with both Southend and Swindon before establishing himself in the first team and making over 200 appearances.

With his superb displays in France effectively putting him in the European shop window, offers are starting to come in quickly.

“I had offers before the tournament – good offers from good, progressive clubs – but I made a decision to wait,” Robson-Kanu told BBC Sport. 

“I made a decision to run my contract at Reading down. I’ve been there 12 years, given a lot of service and felt it was the best decision for myself and my career. It’s probably one of the best decisions of my life.

“I’ve made no secret of my desire to play in the Premier League and if that’s the best place for me then I’ll be there.”

A number of Premier League clubs have now begun to call Robson-Kanu’s agent among them Leicester City, Southampton and Watford have all wanted to talk to the Welshman, but it’s Hull City who are reportedly are leading the charge for his signature.

Hull boss Steve Bruce, quoted by the BBC recently said of Robson-Kanu: “We are booked in for talks with him and to see him in the next few days. Do we intend to offer him a deal? Yes.”

Bruce also stressed Hull are not the only club hoping to recruit Robson-Kanu.

“I think Hal is a good age, has had a sort of rebirth if you like, of playing through the middle, because before that he has played wide most of the time,” Bruce said.

“He is big, strong, powerful, quick and somebody who runs the other way, in football terms. I know we have got competition, so let’s see what we can do.”

Calls from China have also been confirmed with salaries of £100,000-per-week being mentioned. According to the Mirror, Jiangsu Suning and Beijing Guoan are willing to splash mega money on the 27-year-old after he caught the eye during the Euros with Abu Dhabi side Al Jazira Club also tracking the Welsh wizard.

It appears that one good tournament can make or break a player and in Robson-Kanu’s case, it has been the making of him. Despite assurances from potential managers that this talents hadn’t gone unnoticed prior to the championships, they certainly didn’t do him any harm.

Wherever he goes next season, fans will be watching for more of the Cruyff turn and that Welsh magic.

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In case it still hasn’t settled in your mind, Leicester City are Premier League champions. Yes, the team that narrowly avoided relegation under Nigel Pearson are the best team in England. Well, they were.

Claudio Ranieri’s Foxes have broken records and shocked the footballing world in the last twelve months.

Nearly as big as their on-field achievements has been their transfer window work. Retaining all of their key players, apart from N’golo Kante, is astonishing in itself. They’ve joined the big boys and this season is their chance to prove that they are here to stay, to prove a nuisance to the ‘big’ clubs – who so often disappoint.

Arsenal are the next team to face Ranieri’s Premier League victors and it comes at a tricky time for Arsene Wenger. With the Frenchman dithering as much as ever, he is facing criticism from both the press and the Gunners’ fan base. He needs a win, but can he do it?

Well, these FIVE are the ones to watch and may just determine the result…

Petr Cech

Arsenal’s defence was, frankly, calamitous against Liverpool. Petr Cech did not cover himself in glory, but the defensive display in front of him was humiliating for Gunners’ worldwide.

Conceding four at home on the opening day of the season is bad enough and a clean sheet against Leicester might just calm the sporadic Arsenal fans this weekend. Cech, who will hope for a little more protection, will need to be at his very best if he is to stunt the electric Leicester attack.

Assuming Arsenal don’t right the wrongs of last Sunday, Cech will need to have the game of his life.

Ahmed Musa

Jamie Vardy might be the name most synonymous with Leicester’s title win, but their new boy, Ahmed Musa, is tipped by many to be the star of this season. The electric former CSKA Moscow striker showed glimpses of his talent during pre-season and will, like Sadio Mane did last weekend, stretch Arsenal’s flaky defence.

Of course it’s not all about pace, but, if paired with Vardy, Arsenal could get pulled all over the place.

Riyad Mahrez

Last year’s player of the year signed a new contract with the Foxes this weekend and that was possibly the biggest boost for the club since they lifted the title back in May.

Their Algerian right winger netted Leicester’s only goal of the game against Hull, but the burden against Arsenal will largely be a creative one. Tasked with splitting the defence and jinking through the tightest of gaps, Mahrez might even be double-marked by Wenger’s side to restrict his influence.

However, you feel that if Mahrez has a good game, Leicester will likely come out on top.

Danny Drinkwater

Drinkwater looked a shadow of his 2015/16 self in Leicester’s season-opener against Hull. If Mendy starts against Arsenal it may help the former Manchester United midfielder, but he will need to find his form of last season if Leicester are to enjoy much success this time around.

The deep-lying playmaker was often the man who produced the final ball to slot in one of Jamie Vardy’s surging runs. his role was fundamental to how the Foxes played.

Against Arsenal, space in the midfield will be limited and Drinkwater will also be tested defensively against the highly-talented Gunners midfield third.

Alexis Sanchez

Alexis started as the lone central striker for Arsenal against Liverpool, rather than from his more common position on the left-wing.

The sluggish Leicester centre-back pairing will hope to keep their defensive line deep – which may provide a challenge to Alexis – but, if there is space opening up behind the defence, Alexis could prove to be the match winner.

There’s another new era beginning at Southampton and this time it’s under the Frenchman Claude Puel.

The former Nice boss is setting out on his first managerial role outside of France but will be cautiously optimistic about his reign given what has gone before him at the club in recent years.

The Saints have got a real knack of not letting departures bother them. In recent years Mauricio Pochettino and Ronald Koeman have left the St. Mary’s dugout whilst a whole host of players have also moved away from the South Coast yet the team if anything has got stronger.

After a sixth place finish last season the club will be embarking on a Europa League campaign for 2016/17 and the new man in charge will surely be looking to strengthen his side as much as possible.

Puel spent 17 years managing in France so must have a decent idea of the market over there. Therefore we at Football FanCast think these FOUR Ligue 1 stars could be on his wishlist…

Yoann Gourcuff

Gourcuff is a clever attacking midfielder who can also play just off of the main striker.

He’s played for some of the biggest clubs in France as well as AC Milan in Italy and has clocked up 31 appearances for the French national side – scoring four goals.

He’s the kind of player Southampton like and the prospect of him dovetailing with Dusan Tadic and Shane Long may interest Puel.

Lassana Diarra

Diarra has bags of experience from both the Premier League and around Europe and would surely strengthen the Saints in the holding midfield role.

He may have played for great rivals Portsmouth but he’s also played for Real Madrid, Chelsea and the French national team. Despite seemingly being around for ages he’s only 31, so any deal for the Marseille man would tick a lot of boxes for Southampton.

Sebastien Corchia

For a European campaign, Southampton need extra strength in depth and Corchia would give them this in the right back position – Cedric Soares is the current first choice but Puel will want to make sure he stays on his toes.

The Lille defender joined from Sochaux in 2014 and will turn 26 in November, showing he’s perfectly placed to challenge Soares for his position.

Diego Rolan

Southampton lost Graziano Pelle earlier this summer so will be hoping Shane Long and Charlie Austin can do the business.

With Austin’s injury niggles continuing though, the club might want to look for another striker to boost their ranks.

Rolan is a Uruguay international with 17 caps to his name and also boasts Europa League experience with Bordeaux who were in Liverpool’s group last season.

Leicester City’s fans were treated to some of the most entertaining football in the club’s history as they won the Premier League title last season.

Players like Mahrez and Vardy were producing moments of magic every week for the Foxes, with the Algerian’s strike against Chelsea and Vardy’s wonderful volley against Liverpool still in most fans’ memories.

Leicester fans may be able to cast their minds back to a few belters before this year; some will even recount strikes from the King Power was called The Walkers Stadium, or even from the Foxes time at Filbert Street.

Even prior to their title win, Leicester could boast a few legends at the club such as Gary Lineker, Steve Walsh, Alan Birchenall and Emile Heskey. However, there are some obscure names who managed some absolute scorchers.

Here at the Transfer Tavern we’ve dug through the archives to pick out some amazing Leicester goals you probably don’t remember.

MUZZY IZZET vs Tottenham, 1998

The first goal on our list comes from Turkish midfielder, Muzzy Izzet.

Izzet managed a few pearls in his eight years at the club, but arguably none were better than this strike against Spurs.

After Les Ferdinand, who would later play for the Foxes, scored the opener for Spurs, Emile Heskey hit an equaliser in the first half.

This set the stage for Izzet to win the game with a stunning volley and secure three points for Martin O’Neill’s side.

LILIAN NALIS vs Leeds, 2003

Leicester’s 4-0 demolition of Leeds United was one of the few bright spots of the 03/04 season.

The Foxes secured their first win of the season thanks to a brace from Paul Dickov and goals from Lilian Nalis and Jamie Scowcroft.

It was the first goal from the Frenchman that provided the highlight as Nalis hit a looping 25-yard volley to score his first for the club.

Unfortunately the season ended in relegation for both sides, but at least Leicester can look back fondly on this day.

JEFFREY BRUMA vs Watford, 2011

Considering he was recently playing the Champions League for PSV, you could be forgiven for forgetting Jeffrey Bruma even played for Leicester.

Now at Wolfsburg, the Dutchman had a stint on loan to the Foxes while they were still in the Championship.

In their 4-2 win against Watford, Bruma managed two superb strikes, with the better of the two shown above.

That game was Bruma’s only real contribution for Leicester that season, but fortunately both parties they both moved on to better things.

It’s fair to say that Bob Bradley has been handed something of a baptism of fire in his first game in charge as Swansea manager.

When the American accepted the offer, he was probably hoping his reign would begin against somebody other than the most in-form side in the league. Arsenal are the only side who have managed to win all of their last five games and have confirmed themselves as title contenders.

In stark contrast, Swansea have failed to win since the opening day of the season and gained only one point from their last six games under Francesco Guidolin, staying out of the relegation zone on goal-difference alone. The Swans have often looked bereft of confidence and ideas this eason but did at least muster some fighting spirit in losses to Manchester City and Liverpool.

That underdog siege mentality may be channelled by Bradley as he looks to inspire an unlikely victory – or at least a positive result – against the Gunners.

The American will also hope to make the most of the ‘new manager syndrome’ that takes hold of a club when the players new eager to impress the boss. Stranger things have happened than a side down on their luck shocking one of the big guns and the Welsh outfit also have statistics on their side.

Swansea have a superb record at the Emirates, winning three of their last four games and managing a draw in the other one.

In fact, in the last six games between the sides, Swansea boast the better record with a 50% win percentage as opposed to Arsenal’s 33%. The Swans have become something of a bogey team for Arsene Wenger of late, infusing their usual passing play with a defensive steel they don’t always show on the road.

One potential problem is that the side that seems so comfortable playing against Arsenal had its heart ripped out when captain Ashley Williams moved the Everton for £12m in the summer.

Williams – who also captained Wales at Euro 2016 – was always one to lead by example and seemed to excel when under pressure, often acting as a one-man wall against barrages of enemy attacks.

Without the 32-year-old in the defensive ranks, it is difficult to see who will rally the troops when Arsenal begin to turn the screw with Federico Fernandez, Mike Van Der Hoorn not as defensively solid and Leon Britton not a captain in the same mould as Williams.

With or without the Welshman, Bradley will be intent on preserving Swansea’s Emirates record and will take encouragement in any form in which it comes.

Some Swansea fans will be happy to give the side of a period of grace as they adjust to a new style of play and not expect anything against the likes of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez.

Not their manager though. Bradley will want to get his Swansea career off to a winning start to kick his team into gear at the earliest opportunity.

And he will see the Emirates as the perfect place to start – baptism of fire or not.

Pictures say 1000 words, or so they say. One image can tell the tale of a moment, ask endless questions and provoke long debates. Tottenham will rarely play quite as poorly as they did against Bayer Leverkusen, as their game was shackled by the German team pressing, disjointing their own efforts to harry the opposition high up the pitch.

Mauricio Pochettino will certainly have plenty to say about that performance, having witnessed his side so shaken for the entirety of the match. His substitutions could only do so much, particularly as almost every single player was playing below the required standard for such a tough opponent.

Leverkusen’s own poor domestic form has done little to stop their dominance of Spurs, with the Germans taking four points from their two games and entrenching themselves as the favourites for qualification, along with AS Monaco.

Now heading into a North London derby weekend, Spurs’ season could begin to unravel. Momentum is near non-existent after a run of abysmal results and the side looks worryingly short of ideas with the ball.

Nonetheless, Wednesday night’s heartache made for some brilliant photographs.

Second Home

Spurs’ second match at Wembley this season and its not even the second half of the campaign yet.

That is, of course, because the national stadium is their Champions League home and the Lilywhites’ fans made a special effort to create a hostile atmosphere before kick-off.

Injury Woes

Having been without Harry Kane and Toby Alderweireld of late, the last thing Mauricio Pochettino needed was another one of his successful spine from last season injured.

The rock in their midfield and ball retention king, Mousa Dembele, went off injured during the first half, prompting a change in approach for Spurs.

Get up, Dele

Felled in the penalty area, Dele Alli was aghast when the referee did not award him a spot kick.

Vincent Janssen was on the pitch, too, so it would’ve been the perfect opportunity to produce his party piece. Alli was a figure of anger for his perceived dive, but there was the slightest of contact – which could have seen the referee make a favourable decision for the former MK Dons man.

Summed it up

The way that Spurs conceded the opening goal to Kevin Kampl perfectly summed up their woe on Wednesday night.

As the ball clipped off the foot of a Spurs defender to fall to an unmarked Kampl, there was a sweeping silence across Wembley amid the realisation that their team are on the brink of another season in the Europa League.

Mountain to climb

Tottenham’s Champions League fate is now out of their hands. A glum Wembley perfectly reflected the mood of the players, who looked utterly dejected after a dire display.

A victory in Monaco is needed for Spurs to have any realistic chance of qualification and that looks a distant possibility after Wednesday’s performance.

The Football Association has announced the TV scheduling for the third round of the FA Cup, and fans are not happy.BT Sport and the BBC share the broadcasting duties, and as you would expect, the Premier League heavyweights have been given priority.The first live match will be screened by the BBC on Friday, January 6, and it has arguably been seen as the biggest pull of the draw as West Ham United and Manchester City go head to head at the London Stadium.Over the course of the weekend, the match between holders Manchester United and Reading will be broadcast live, as will Arsenal’s tie with Preston North End.More top-flight representatives will dominate the TV schedule, with Liverpool taking on either Plymouth Argyle or Newport County, while Tottenham Hotspur’s encounter with Aston Villa will Âbe screened from White Hart Lane.BT Sport will wrap up the FA Cup weekend on Monday by airing the action between Cambridge United and Leeds United at Abbey Stadium.

Considering that the FA Cup prides itself on lower league teams being given the chance to win major silverware, fans feel that the message is not coming across through the TV scheduling.

In fact, supporters have taken to Twitter to express their unhappiness.

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