“I believe in myself, I can play Dier’s position perfectly”: Tottenham top January target sent Ange Postecoglou message highlighting how he will correct Eric Dier’s mistake at Spurs.
Tottenham are in the midst of a defensive crisis and the signing of Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite would certainly be a big gamble for the the club.
Micky van de Ven’s hamstring injury, which looks set to rule him out until next year, coupled with Cristian Romero’s three-game suspension after his red card against Chelsea, has exposed the bareness of Ange Postecoglou’s squad.
Full-backs Emerson Royal and Ben Davies were required to play in central defence during the 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa on Sunday 26 November, with Eric Dier the only senior central defender in the entire matchday squad.
It is a defensive crisis that has contributed to three consecutive defeats for Spurs and has certainly acted as a message to the club’s board that reinforcements are needed in January.
According to the Evening Standard (28 November), those reinforcements appear to be on their way, with the newspaper reporting online that Tottenham are preparing to enter the market in January, with the signing of a central defender their top priority.
One name who is being linked with the club is Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo, although the competition for his signature is expected to be highly competitive.
The club do have alternative options lined up in the form of long-term targets Lloyd Kelly and Marc Guehi, and a fresh name has now emerged, Everton’s Branthwaite, who enjoyed a successful loan spell with PSV last season.
Considering the Toffees’ current difficult circumstances, which has seen a 10-point deduction plunge them into the relegation zone, it is easy to imagine that Branthwaite could be tempted by a move to north London, although it would certainly be a big gamble for Postecoglou.
On paper, the 21-year-old’s defensive stats look incredibly promising. As per fbref, the England Under-21 international is exceptional when it comes to one-on-one defending, sitting in the 97th percentile compared to his positional peers in the Premier League this season for the number of dribblers he has tackled (1.36 per 90).
He also ranks among the top nine per cent of the league’s defenders this season for the number of interceptions he has made (1.82 per 90) while also ranking in the mid-high 80 percentile region for the number of tackles he has made (2.18 per 90), tackles he has made in his defensive third (1.55 per 90), and passes he has blocked (0.82 per 90).
With all this in mind, some Tottenham fans might be excited by the prospect of signing a 21-year-old with these numbers under his belt who can surely only get better. However, there is a big question mark over whether or not Branthwaite could adapt to Postecoglou’s style.
Tottenham’s head coach requires his defenders to be comfortable in possession and have the ability to bring the ball forward, which are qualities that Branthwaite has not demonstrated under Sean Dyche so far this season.
The young centre-back ranks in just the 3rd percentile for both the number of progressive carries he has made (0.00 per 90) and his total progressive carrying distance (35.64 per 90).
His passing, another important quality in Postecoglou’s players, is not much better. Branthwaite ranks in the 16th percentile for both the number of passes he has attempted (40.09 per 90) and completed (31.55 per 90)
Of course, with the style of football Everton play, these aren’t things Branthwaite has to do much of, and it might not necessarily be a matter of his ability, but perhaps just what he is being asked to do in the team.
As a result, the central defender could perhaps adapt, but it would be a gamble, and at this point in the season that might not be a gamble that Tottenham and Postecoglou can afford to take.
In other Tottenham news, an injury expert has made a prediction over the timeline for James Maddison’s return to action.
