Ange could unleash “impressive” Spurs ace in brand new role to ease Udogie injury blow
It appears that a Champions League finish would cap off a fantastic debut season for Ange Postecoglou, with Tottenham Hotspur in fourth position and in charge of their own destiny.
With just two wins in five games since their pivotal 4-0 triumph over top-four opponent Aston Villa, the Lilywhites’ form has been erratic.
The most recent of those was a crushing 4-0 loss to Newcastle United, which undoubtedly upset the Spurs team.
Unfortunately, journalist Fabricio Romano revealed on Saturday that Spurs’ dismal week was made worse by the news that first-choice left-back Destiny Udogie will miss the remainder of the season and the European Championship due to injury.
This news could not have come at a worse moment, with the north London derby just around the corner. Fortunately, the manager has a few substitutes lined up.
In light of this, the Australian has a few choices, with three people able to fill in for Udogie while he is away.
1 The obvious option
Ben Davies
Now that Udogie is the only natural left-back in the team, Ben Davies, the dependable and adaptable star of Spurs, is the obvious like-for-like replacement at full-back.
The Welsh defender is an essential asset to the team because he has played in 17 Premier League games this year, starting at both full-back and center half.
As evidenced by his 4.3 duels won per game and 66% win rate, the former Swansea rock is undoubtedly a tenacious tackler who likes to get involved in. However, he is also incredibly technical and seldom gives the ball away cheaply, as seen by his 92% pass accuracy this season.
The only downside to fielding Davies is that his last minute of action in a Spurs shirt dates back to the end of February, and would Postecoglou want a rusty defender up against Saka?
2The tactical tweak
Emerson Royal
Pedro Porro is running out of time to be ready for the match the next weekend, therefore Emerson Royal might end up starting the match nevertheless, albeit at right back.
Nonetheless, having previously filled the left-back position five times this season in the Premier League, the former Barcelona player may be a left-back option if the Spaniard does make a timely recovery.
Similar to Davies, the Brazilian strikes the ideal balance between attack and defense. This season, in the Premier League, he has an average pass accuracy of 92%, demonstrating how well he keeps the ball.
Emerson might just win because he has played in 19 league games this season—including a half against the Magpies—and has thus far seen a little more action than the Welsh defender.
3 The wildcard option
Micky van de Ven
Lilywhites’ centre-half Micky van de Ven could be fielded in a new role for Spurs for the foreseeable future, moving one position to the left to play at full-back.
The Dutch defender has played in this role for his former team, VFL Wolfsburg, but he hasn’t done so while wearing a Tottenham jersey.
Van van Ven feels at ease defending in one-on-one situations because of his remarkable athleticism, physicality, speed, and stature, which make him a very tough defender to beat.
Van van Ven did not only fit in well as a left-back, as the table above from a Bundesliga match versus Hertha Berlin shows, but he also flourished in that position.
Saka is up next, and because the 22-year-old won all nine of his ground duels and wasn’t dribbled past, it’s imperative that the left-back wins his individual duels and silences the Gunners winger. Saka is more than capable of accomplishing that.
Yet, what makes Van de Ven so “impressive,” as dubbed by football scout Jacek Kulig, is that he’s extremely good technically, and his ability to cover ground easily would make Spurs dominant in transition.
If the number 37 was opted for to replace Udogie, then it would mean that Radu Dragusin would slot in at centre half, making the backline incredibly secure, and it could prove to be the way forward for the rest of the season.
