How does our team compare to 2016/17?

Following on from Luka's article about whether the current team is good enough to win something, I think we can all agree that the best we've ever been as a PL team was in 2016/17. Peak Spurs under Poch that came 2nd in the league on 86 points, went unbeaten all season at home, got to a semi of an FA Cup, conceded only 26 goals, which is the equal third lowest in the last 15 years. That team was definitely good enough to win something even though they underachieved, so how does our current team compare with that one?

I would say the strongest possible line up back then was:

Lloris

Walker Toby Vert Rose

Wanyama Dembele

Eriksen Alli Son

Kane

You could argue Dier over Wanyama I suppose, but not much between them. The rest are pretty obvious.

How many of our players now would get into that team?

I know it's early days for some of them but I think the likes of Udogie, VDV and Vicario are at least as good, or will be as good as Rose, Verts and Lloris so I'd be ok putting them ahead at this stage. Walker and Toby are ahead of Porro and Romero for me, as good as they can be.

I'd take one of our midfield players over Wanyama or Dier, whether that be Bentancur or Bissouma, but over Dembele? Maybe not at the moment.

It's the attacking players where we fall short compared to 2016/17. Son cancels out Son already. With the exception of Maddison I don't think anyone else comes close to the Eriksen/Dele/Kane trio of that season.

So arguably 5 or at a push 6 of our players could get in that team, in my opinion. The team back then is overall stronger however and had a better attack. Worth bearing in mind that Dele didn't come close to replicating his form in that season but what a season at age 20.

Of the squad players that featured more heavily you had Dier/Wanyama, Lamela, Davies, Trippier, Janssen, Sissoko, Winks. Compare to today if you take the players that wouldn't get into our strongest line up, you've got Sarr or Bissouma (depending on your preference), Davies, Emerson, PEH, Skipp, Werner, BJ, Dragusin. No worse, if anything possibly stronger with more depth.

I think it shows how close we are to those levels again. Just need some added quality up front more than anything and better wide players if the likes of BJ and Kulu can't improve. There's talk about the defence needing to be better. It's a solid defence. I think the conceding too many comes down as much to poor on field management of the game when we take leads and the way we play as it does our defence being shaky.