Under Antonio Conte, Tottenham Hotspur were often lambasted for a lack of attacking impetus that left fans always wanting more.
However, nearly a month after his dismissal, the Lilywhites remain the third top scorers in the Premier League only behind title-chasing Arsenal and Manchester City.
It, therefore, begs the question as to why they find themselves down in fifth, unlikely to secure Champions League football unless they should beat Newcastle United at St James' Park on Sunday.
Perhaps it is not their offensive deficiencies that should have been scrutinised, but instead, the fact that despite employing five defenders, they still struggle to keep opposition attackers quiet.
They are sorely lacking a domineering leader at the back, with weak options like Davinson Sanchez failing to live up to the billing. Should they hypothetically have the pick of their historical options, swathing through the archives of fine centre backs to have previously graced north London, few stand out as Jan Vertonghen did.
Why did Jan Vertonghen leave Spurs?
Joining Spurs for £10m in 2012 as part of Andre Villas Boas' short-lived revolution, the Belgian defender had previously won the Eredivisie Player of the Year award and was expected to offer another option at the back. Few could have predicted just how transformative the 35-year-old would go on to be for the club.
Featuring an astronomical 315 times, Vertonghen swiftly became a mainstay at the back for numerous managers including Mauricio Pochettino, where he enjoyed his best football.
Under the Argentine, the 6 foot 2 stalwart was an integral member of the sides that finished top four in four consecutive seasons including one second-placed finish too, alongside their miraculous run to the Champions League final.
The peak of his powers undoubtedly came during that historic 2016/17 campaign, where the defender maintained an outstanding 7.31 average rating upheld by an 85% pass accuracy and seven clearances per game, via Sofascore.
His uncanny ability to be both "dominant" at the back, as praised by journalist Henry Winter, and progressive in bringing the ball out into midfield, made the current-Benfica ace one of the league's best in his role.
However, after years of fine form which had yet to warrant a trophy, his time in north London had to come to an end.
"I quickly realized that I didn’t want to stay in the Premier League," he told Belgian outfit Sporza after leaving, before noting: "I played at Tottenham for 8 years, but I didn’t win many prizes. Here I play for the prizes."
So often the lack of silverware has tempted top talent away from the club, and after Pochettino's sacking, Vertonghen clearly thought the opportunity to win in England had gone. Therefore, he too left, joining the Portuguese giants at the conclusion of his contract.
How have Spurs defended this season?
The absence of a dominant presence like the Belgium international has clearly thwarted Conte and now Cristian Stellini's side all campaign, resulting in their 45 goals conceded. Only six other teams in the league have conceded more, all of whom are 14th or below.
With players like Sanchez around the squad, that is hardly a surprise. The Columbian signed for a whopping £42m back in 2017, however, is yet to live up to the immense billing that such a price tag commands.
This year has arguably been his toughest, with the £65k-per-week dud having made just six starts among his 15 Premier League appearances. When given his shot though, the 26-year-old has failed to impress.
A 6.72 average rating across these cameos exacerbates this, with his most recent showing against AFC Bournemouth drawing particular scrutiny.
The former Ajax defender was subbed on by Stellini in the first half, only to be dragged off 23 minutes later to a chorus of boos from the home fans. Such a reaction to a performance, whilst widely condemned, is a damning indictment of his standing within the squad.
To compare Sanchez with Vertonghen is an insult to the magnificent legacy the latter left across his stellar eight years in north London, in which he departed as a hero.
Widely regarded as a "legend" nowadays, with journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke clearly thinking so too, should they enjoy the benefits of having this left-footed powerhouse reinstated into their back line now, Stellini would needn't worry about their defensive woes anymore.
