Tottenham have a huge chance to win the league this season - not signing Saido Berahino was a mistake

In a season where they can genuinely win the title, Tottenham's decision to to sign Berahino can only be seen as a gamble, writes MirrorFootball's Darren Lewis

 

Gamble: Should Mauricio Pochettino have signed Saido Berahino in January?

First the misconceptions.
Saido Berahino is not still at West Brom because Tottenham were worried that he could destabilise their dressing room.

Daniel Levy most certainly did not block Mauricio Pochettino’s attempts to sign him or any other striker.
What is true, however, is that Spurs have taken a gamble.

To be fair, so relaxed were the north Londoners about the situation yesterday, their staff left their offices at the end of their normal working day to watch the remainder of Deadline Day on TV at home.

Grasping West Brom felt they had Spurs over a barrel for a player that the world and his wife knew - and still know - they don’t want.

Clive Rose Misconception: Tottenham Chairman Daniel Levy runs the club equally with Pochettino

Spurs, understandably, refused to budge.

This column believes, to be perfectly frank, that the north Londoners should have paid whatever it took to bring Berahino in - even if it had been over the odds.

With Guardiola going to City and Chelsea set to rise from their slumber of under-achievement this summer,
 Spurs may not get the shot that they have at title success this season for some time.

All that said, it is easy to understand why they decided not to blink in the face of West Brom’s attempt to shake them down.

Relations between the two clubs does are not that bad. Rising star Alex Pritchard went to the Hawthorns on loan yesterday.

That would never have happened if the bad blood that boiled over last summer regarding Berahino still existed.

Charlie Crowhurst Option: Victor Wanyama may still arrive at Tottenham in the summer

Things at Tottenham, however, are driven jointly by Pochettino and Levy these days. People may prefer to cling to the narrative that the White Hart Lane supremo is a stubborn penny-pincher, refusing to listen to reason or splash the cash for the big players.

The truth, however, is very different. Word has it, for example, that Levy was more than prepared to wade in for Victor Wanyama this month.

It was Pochettino who decided in the end that the Southampton man was not needed, such has been the impact made by Eric Dier in midfield.

(Again, Wanyama has 18 months left on his Southampton contract and is refusing to sign a new deal. He too could yet end up at Spurs this summer for a vastly reduced price.)

Levy would also have been bang up for bringing in Berahino this month. Pochettino, however, is known to be completely comfortable with the options he has at his disposal.

Stu Forster FA Cup: Berahino scores against Peterborough over the weekend

While completely admirable it is a gamble. No doubt.

In the last four games, Tottenham have had eight different scorers with Nacer Chadli - back from injury and approaching peak fitness - finding the net four times.

This column would still argue, though, that those are the goals teams hunting top honours actually need from other areas. Spurs do need another fox in the box. An impact player to make the difference when the going gets tough, particularly as the title chase reaches squeaky bum time.

Yet Pochettino has earned the right to be trusted.

Last summer it was felt by many observers that, having staged a clearout of experienced big earners, Spurs ended the window with a squad too young to have a say in the top four argument.

Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Risk: Pochettino has decided he is happy with the squad he has

With 15 games to go they sit fourth, five points clear of Manchester United in fifth and just five points off the lead.
They have the best defensive record in the Premier League and they have been beaten away from home just once - fortuitously - at Manchester United on the opening day.

Last season they had the charge that they were a one-man team levelled at them with Harry Kane pretty much carrying them on his back with his stunning goal spree.

This season they have answered that charge in some style with Pochettino having nurtured a squad packed with talent, hunger, cohesion and cutting edge.

So although Berahino stays where he is and no other striker has come in, Tottenham’s Argentine coach has earned the right to have made that call.

The club’s fans will be hoping that neither he nor they live to regret it.