For years, Tottenham Hotspur have tried and failed to duplicate these wonderful days of Mauricio Pochettino.
Certain, the Lilywhites did not win a trophy below the Argentine, however they did attain a Champions League remaining.
A number of the finest gamers of the trendy period additionally turned Premier League icons below Pochettino’s steering. Harry Kane is the membership’s document goalscorer whereas Dele Alli is arguably one of many best younger gamers to emerge at Tottenham within the final 20 years.
Christian Eriksen and Mousa Dembele weren’t unhealthy both. The truth is, Dembele needs to be thought to be among the finest midfielders we have ever seen within the prime flight.
What made Dembele so particular
The expertise Dembele had at his disposal was extraordinary. A box-to-box midfielder, this was a participant who may glide throughout the turf. He was like if Eden Hazard have been a midfielder.
He was mesmerising with the ball at his toes, so mesmerising in truth that Kyle Walker as soon as stated that the Belgian is “most likely the very best dribbler I’ve ever seen.”
These away from Spurs might properly have forgotten about Dembele. In spite of everything, he is no Kevin De Bruyne; he is no David Silva. Consequently, he is very underrated.
At Tottenham, nevertheless, he isn’t. Eric Dier as soon as aptly acknowledged that the previous midfielder was “a monster and he is acquired ballerina toes on the similar time.”
In his prime, the 2016/17 season, Dembele made as many as 3.4 dribbles per recreation. Solely six gamers in the entire division accomplished extra that season. No central midfielder made extra.
Moreover, solely 14 midfielders in that very same season made greater than his 2.8 tackles per match.
Primarily based on these statistics, it actually is not any shock that they’ve struggled a lot to exchange Dembele since he left in 2019.
Why Spurs have struggled to exchange Dembele
It is a common prevalence that Tottenham battle to exchange their finest gamers. Harry Kane and Heung-min Son are irreplaceable, however nobody has even come near replicating their ranges at Spurs.
The identical will be stated of the midfield and, specifically, Mr Dembele.
Spurs firstly tried changing him with Tanguy Ndombele and everyone knows how that performed out. Since then, the Spurs midfield has lacked chew; it is lacked a sure fluidity that Dembele introduced in abundance.
The much less stated concerning the Harry Winks, Oliver Skipp and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg days the higher. The much less stated about Moussa Sissoko’s time in north London the higher too.
In 2025/26, the midfield was one of many greatest points for Spurs too. It is why they signed Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes. They wanted extra line-breaking passers and extra progressive gamers akin to Dembele.
Effectively, it’s protected to say that hasn’t gone properly both but. For a £100m participant, we’re but to see the very best of Tonali. As for Fernandes, somewhat bizarrely, he’s getting used as a quantity 10 by Roberto De Zerbi.
So, the place is the subsequent Dembele going to return from?
The brand new Dembele is rising at Spurs
There are a number of issues at Tottenham proper now, not least the truth that it took De Zerbi’s aspect 5 video games to lastly discover the online within the Premier League.
Nonetheless, regardless of investing £185m into their midfield, these central areas are nonetheless an issue.
Rodrigo Bentancur has been immense and is outshining each of these gamers. That stated, is that not worrying? Maybe. The Uruguayan appears extra just like the £100m midfielder in all of this.
Talking of such a price ticket, there’s a perception that sooner or later a sure teenager by the identify of Luca Williams-Barnett may go on to be value a fairly penny too.
Tottenham’s reply to Max Dowman, the 17-year-old will not be incomes common first-team minutes like his fellow teen simply but, however earlier than too lengthy, De Zerbi should let unfastened.
In spite of everything, Williams-Barnett proved in pre-season that he has what it takes to combine it with senior gamers.
The teenager has been making waves at youth stage for some time now. Final time period, he scored 16 targets in 19 youth workforce video games. He additionally assisted eight targets throughout quite a lot of competitions.
Regardless of that, he has solely featured for the primary workforce in aggressive motion on two events. Contemplating how he fared in pre-season, the place he blew his teammates away, that may be a shock.
After a stunning efficiency in opposition to Auckland, one other academy graduate within the type of Mikey Moore described him as an “unbelievable footballer” whereas Ben Davies stated that he’s “a very prime participant” and has “a shiny future forward of him.”
In that match in opposition to the New Zealand aspect, the teenager featured as an attacking midfielder and had as many as 5 photographs throughout his 63 minutes on the sphere. On one other day, Williams-Barnett would have scored. Effectively, he did finally discover the online in pre-season however not till their remaining recreation with Hoffenheim.
It was a mightily spectacular pre-season for the teenager however his finest efficiency arguably got here in opposition to MK Dons.
|
Williams-Barnett vs MK Dons |
|
|---|---|
|
Minutes performed |
45 |
|
Touches |
33 |
|
Correct passes |
20/22 (91%) |
|
Key passes |
3 |
|
Pictures |
1 |
|
Profitable dribbles |
2/6 |
|
Carries |
14 |
|
Duels received |
3/8 |
He was used as a second-half sub and truly performed in a deeper-lying midfield position the place, if we’re being fully trustworthy, he regarded a bit just like the aforementioned Dembele.
Throughout that show, he accomplished 91% of his passes, created three possibilities and tried a whopping six dribbles. This was like Dembele in his prime, skipping past the opposition and advancing into ahead areas.
What’s so particular about Williams-Barnett is his capacity to evade opponents. We have seen it on numerous events at youth stage. He is just about unattainable to get the ball off.
Whereas his future might lie in a extra superior position, if he does find yourself enjoying barely additional again, he may present a glimmer of Dembele within the course of.
