There's plenty of reasons to think that Spurs - even without any further signings - will be doing more than just making "minimal improvements":
* dos Santos: Last season was partly injured and partly away on loan. Now he's back after impressing in the WC, impressing in pre-season and picking up the MotM award in Mexico's 1 -1 draw with Spain last night. In effect he'll be like a new signing.
* Sandro: Brazilian U-21 captain and now called up into their senior squad.
* Cudicini: back and fully fit after his motorbike accident. Good backup GK that wo didn't have for muich of the 2nd half of last season.
* O'Hara: back after being with Pompey on loan last season. The experience looks to have improved him hugely.
* Keane: back from his loan to Celtic.
* Kyle Walker: Looked excellent in pre-season playing at both RB and CB. May well have a significant role to play in the first-team squad this season.
* Kyle Naughton: back from his loan spell at Boro'. Has also impressed in pre-season.
OK, some of the above might still be sold or loaned out, but then again Spurs might make 1 or 2 new signings, so it all balances out in the wash. The point is that either way the Spurs squad will likely be stronger than last season - and that's not counting the fact that young players like Bale, Lennon, Huddlestone, Modric, Kaboul, Rose etc will likely kick on again this season.
how is this different to most of our squad (with the exception of Friedel and Heskey) reaching their peak or continual development?
Lichaj, Clark, Delfouneso, Bannan, Weimann are all better players than this time last year