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30 Greatest Teams in Premier League History

By Benjamin Taylor

Who will lift this trophy in May and join these 30 teams among the greatest ever to compete in the English Premier League? (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Who will lift this trophy in May and join these 30 teams among the greatest ever to compete in the English Premier League? (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) /
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18. Tottenham Hotspur, 2009-11

LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 28: Gareth Bale of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates scoring the second goal with team-mates Aaron Lennon and Sebastien Bassong during the Barclays Premier League game between Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United at White Hart Lane on December 28, 2010, in London, England. (Photo by Ian Horrocks/Newcastle United via Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 28: Gareth Bale of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates scoring the second goal with team-mates Aaron Lennon and Sebastien Bassong during the Barclays Premier League game between Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United at White Hart Lane on December 28, 2010, in London, England. (Photo by Ian Horrocks/Newcastle United via Getty Images) /

Starting XI: H. Gomes (GK); V. Corluka, M. Dawson, S. Bassong, B. Assou-Ekotto; A. Lennon, L. Modric, W. Palacios, G. Bale; J. Defoe/R. Van Der Vaart, P. Crouch.

There’s a lot to understand about this Spurs team.

Firstly, you must realise the mire that Harry Redknapp dragged the club from when he took over from Juande Ramos in late-2008: Spurs were bottom of the league and had taken just two points from their first eight games. Redknapp rescued the campaign, and they finished 8th.

The second thing to understand is how good Redknapp was at getting the most out of his squad. The above starting XI is almost useless, given how much the manager rotated and brought players in for specific roles in key games. Ledley King played whenever his obliterated knee allowed him to, midfielders like Jermaine Jenas and Tom Huddlestone saw plenty of action rotating with Palacios, and “super-subs” such as Niko Kranjcar and Roman Pavlyuchenko were vital to the cause.

Redknapp guided his squad to 4th place in 2009-10, and took them on a wonderful Champions League run the following season. After topping their group ahead of defending champions Inter, they were eventually knocked out in the quarter finals by the might of Real Madrid. They haven’t returned to the competition since.

Next: No. 17

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