“He’s one of our problem”: Ange could fix Spurs problem by dropping Maddison for UNBELIEVABLE ace.
Tottenham Hotspur failed to build on their 3-1 victory over Nottingham Forest on Saturday, with the side becoming slightly inconsistent in recent weeks.
The Lilywhites’ latest setback was handed to them by Newcastle United in a hugely disappointing and frustrating 4-0 defeat.
Ange Postecoglou’s team as a whole have started to lose their rhythm, particularly in the midfield, as highlighted by the boss making midfield changes freely in the past two games.
That said, one player who’s remained in the team is James Maddison, but is it time for the number ten to also drop out of the side?
James Maddison’s recent performances
Maddison’s £40m move from Leicester City to Tottenham has been viewed as an excellent piece of business all season, and rightly so, but in recent weeks he’s not been quite his usual self.
The England international has now gone five games without a single goal contribution, with Spurs’ free-flowing attack looking slightly blunt of late.
This was once again the case against the Magpies, with The Evening Standard handing Maddison a dismal 4/10 rating for his performance, further stating:
“Wants to be held to high standards and so must shoulder some of the responsibility for Spurs’s nonfunctional attack. Poor decision-making including long-range shots that wasted possession.”
Luckily, if Postecoglou did decide that Maddison needed to be rested or dropped, he has the perfect replacement waiting on the bench.
Spurs’ wildcard is ready to shine
There’s no hiding that the midfield hasn’t quite performed to the standards that the boss would have liked and needed, but he’s also not afraid to show his frustration.
Against Forest, Postecoglou hooked both Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr off at half-time, and he did the exact same to the starting duo against Eddie Howe’s side, but just before the hour mark instead.
In the next few weeks, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him opt for more of a 4-3-3 system, which is exactly where Giovani Lo Celso comes into the picture.
The Argentine midfielder has only started four games this season in the Premier League, mainly when Maddison was unavailable, but he has impressed when on the field, providing two goals and two assists.
As you can see by his latest Premier League start, which was against Bournemouth, Lo Celso brings plenty of creativity, not quite as much as Maddison, but enough to make him a danger to the opponent, as displayed via his two assists.
Yet what’s most impressive is his ability to retain the ball and control the game for his side, and the former Paris Saint-Germain star even had a 100% pass accuracy when he started against Manchester City earlier this season.
In addition, Lo Celso would make the midfield harder to bypass as an opponent, as he can read the game with ease, press with intensity, and win his individual battles.
The fact that he won four tackles, wasn’t dribbled past once, and won an incredible 11 duels proves that he simply puts in the work defensively, and it’s what makes him such an “unbelievable” player, as called by journalist Alex Mitton.
However, there’s a question that remains: Is Postecoglou ready to hand Lo Celso an opportunity over Maddison?
