Spurs can remedy Werner blow by giving teen “famous person” his senior debut

Tottenham Hotspur are a crew with imperfections. Daniel Levy is aware of that, as does Ange Postecoglou. Regardless of dropping successive Premier League matches, hampering the bid to qualify for the Champions League, Levy will nonetheless be assured that his resolution to nominate Postecoglou final yr was the proper one.

Fifth within the standings, Tottenham have two video games in hand and solely path fourth-place Aston Villa by six factors, although nonetheless face Chelsea and Liverpool away from residence, additionally welcoming Manchester Metropolis to north London.

However ought to the membership miss out on a spot amongst Europe’s elite subsequent yr, the progress made beneath new administration shouldn’t be discredited, with this growing squad boasting all of the indicators of a promising mission nonetheless in its embryonic stage.

Postecoglou’s expansive, free-flowing fashion of soccer gained followers over instantaneously initially of the marketing campaign however inconsistencies and accidents have since marred the success that noticed him turn into the primary supervisor to win the Supervisor of the Month award in every of his first three months within the Premier League.

The newest on the endless damage entrance has seen pacy winger Timo Werner decide up a hamstring damage throughout Sunday’s loss towards the Gunners, withdrawn after 31 minutes.

Becoming a member of Spurs on mortgage from RB Leipzig in January – with the choice to make the deal everlasting for £15m – Werner has scored two objectives and provided three assists from ten beginning appearances within the Premier League, remarking “I adore it right here” throughout one post-match interview.

With journeys to Chelsea and Liverpool looming within the English top-flight this week, Postecoglou will seemingly have to shuffle the pack, with Werner beginning the previous 5 video games – however who may exchange him?

1

The apparent selection

Brennan Johnson

Most Lilywhites supporters needed Brennan Johnson to begin over Werner towards Arsenal, providing a fleet-footed fashion however having additionally discovered higher, richer efficiency in entrance of objective this season, particularly over the previous few months.

Signed from Nottingham Forest for a whopping £47.5m price final summer season, the Wales worldwide is shaping into a really helpful asset, with loads of room for enchancment however loads of methods to enflame the ire of Tottenham’s opposition.

Content material creator Dan Prepare dinner – referred to as ‘HLTCO’ on X (previously Twitter) – maybe summed up Johnson’s ability set finest, saying: “Brennan Johnson is such an thrilling participant to look at. He’s bought scary tempo and directness; continuously trying to make one thing occur, it should be an absolute nightmare to defend towards him.”

Whereas Johnson is often discovered on the suitable flank, his two-footedness makes him a hazard wherever he’s deployed and he could be the No. 1 selection to switch his German peer at Stamford Bridge on Thursday.

2

The tactical tweak

Heung-min Son

Subsequent now we have Heung-min Son, whose return to the left wing would not be a revelation down N17 however provided that he is began out broad simply twice in 2024, it might be one thing of a tactical tweak.

Tottenham’s long-time star has been in advantageous fettle this season, scoring 16 objectives and supplying 9 assists throughout 30 Premier League matches and enjoying a pivotal half in his outfit’s resurgence beneath new administration.

In fact, with Harry Kane indirectly changed because the focal frontman initially of Postecoglou’s reign, Son is required at centre-forward, although Richarlison is pushing for a return from the outset and his good purple patch earlier in 2024 underlines his prowess as an environment friendly striker.

As per FBref, the Spurs skipper ranks among the many prime 2% of forwards throughout Europe’s prime 5 leagues over the previous yr for assists, the highest 11% for shot-creating actions, the highest 7% for progressive passes, the highest 3% for go completion and the highest 6% for progressive carries per 90.

Solely Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah and Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes trump the South Korea star in big-chance creation this season and it is no joke that Son is without doubt one of the most dynamic gamers within the enterprise.

He may be one of many deadliest finishers within the Premier League, however Son can throw down with one of the best in relation to playmaking and controlling the movement of play.

Maybe, enjoying Tottenham’s finest ahead in his pure place to fight Werner’s absence is definitely the best way to go – who’d have thought it?

3

The academy star

Mikey Moore

The wildcard. The up-and-comer. England’s most prodigious expertise. That final sentence is admittedly subjective however 16-year-old Mikey Moore has now been coaching with the Tottenham first crew and might be determined to make his skilled debut earlier than the marketing campaign’s conclusion.

This season, the dynamic ahead has been in staggering type at youth stage, scoring 16 objectives and offering 9 assists for his teammates over simply 14 outings throughout the U18 Premier League and the FA Youth Cup.

Described as a “famous person” by Fabrizio Romano, it is a harmful sport to heap reward too lofty on a teenager earlier than they’ve even dipped their toes into the senior scene however Moore’s age-belying expertise makes it exhausting to not get giddy in case you’re carrying lily white.

A surprising ball-carrier with a ferocious strike and balletic actions, Moore’s common inclusion within the senior coaching set-up speaks of the excessive regard he’s held in and he may simply discover himself unleashed within the fixtures to come back, ought to Werner fail to make a fast restoration from his hamstring concern.

Normally positioned centrally for Spurs however having fun with prolific success on the left flank for England, scoring a hat-trick towards Croatia U17s final trip, Moore has the built-in athleticism and pure swagger to propel him to the entrance of the pack and there may be now each likelihood that Postecoglou may resolve to unleash his starlet on the season’s ultimate stage.

It’d simply be the beginning of one thing particular…