The temptation for managers when stars hit kind is to maintain them of their function and transfer others round them. At Spurs, there’s another choice – no less than on the subject of the magnificently in-form Dejan Kulusevski.
The Swedish attacker has been a conduit and an outlet for Spurs, chance-provider and chance-taker this season. Way more vital, he has been the hyperlink participant between midfield and assault, the transition grasp, the counter-attacking menace who takes them from defensive third to attacking penalty field along with his dribbling, tenacity and engine.
Ange Postecoglou has had him working in a spread of roles this yr; typically a winger, right-sided and reducing in, Kulusevski has as an alternative been a grasp of surging centrally, taking part in an offensive No. 8 function from midfield, powerfully driving into the channels and leaving opposition holders in his wake.
There may not be a single trait Kulusevski has that may see him high the statistical charts each single season, however the greater influence from him, the rationale he’s such a weapon and has grow to be so vital to his workforce, is that he does all the pieces very properly.
“You possibly can’t examine me to some other participant, so that is what I’m on the lookout for,” went the remainder of his post-match feedback. “I take the perfect stuff from them, however with my engine, you already know, with my coronary heart – I don’t get drained – I really feel like I can do lots nonetheless in my profession. I don’t get drained and I can’t let anyone outwork me. That’s the plan. That’s how I play and the way I prepare.”
Which is truthful sufficient, if you watch him burst previous individuals within the first and ninetieth minutes alike, when he’s performed extra league minutes this season than some other attacker within the squad and when he’s supplied extra assists than anybody else Postecoglou can name upon. See, he’s not high of Spurs’ stats lists for the Premier League this season on the subject of objectives, or assists, or anticipated both a kind of. He’s not high for dribbles, pictures or massive probabilities created per 90. Completely different names high just about every of these classes. However he’s amongst their finest at every of these, which is exclusive to him: Kulusevski offers you a few of all the pieces throughout the board each time he takes the pitch.
And, after all, his consistency this time period is significant. Spurs are notoriously…properly, Spursy they name it. Able to shedding at residence to Ipswich one week and beating Man Metropolis away the following, for instance. However Kulusevski has stored his degree, stored offering probabilities, stored working for positive. He does high the metrics in two specific areas of the workforce, which is notable: possessions received within the last third (16, 1.5 per 90) and complete probabilities created (33, 3.1 per 90).
Test across the Premier League for comparable place gamers for gamers who’ve managed extra you received’t discover any, in both class – or for touches within the field, or for pictures blocked. Merely put, he’s a wrecking ball at one finish and does greater than his fair proportion on the different, too. Round comparable leagues and gamers, he’s within the 93rd percentile for probabilities created and but additionally 74th percentile for defensive actions. That’s a uncommon kind of mixture participant, and it provides Postecoglou vital choices from a tactical perspective.
As famous, Kulusevski has been taking part in as successfully an attacking central midfielder. That’s not completely new – he performed as a No. 10 in Italy and has performed for the nationwide workforce – however it’s deeper at occasions. He’s additionally performed as a striker earlier than, so his versatility is limitless within the attacking half. But flicking him huge permits not only a relaxation for Brennan Johnson, but additionally to reincorporate James Maddison into the workforce in a extra attacking central function – simply as was the case at Metropolis, when the pair mixed so properly for the opening objective.
Postecoglou has a juggling act to carry out to an extent, as a result of whereas each gamers would ideally be in his lineup, Spurs as a complete have been too flimsy, too inconsistent, too unreliable to begin each of them as twin No. 8s throughout a midfield three. One on the flank and one centrally although appears stable, significantly with the likes of Yves Bissouma and Pape Sarr behind. It’s maybe straightforward to say that double pivot ought to be in place completely, leaving two attacking spots free for the likes of Johnson, Son Heung Min, Dominic Solanke and the remaining to combat for. However they’re additionally all seen as starters, and so they can’t all achieve this each sport.
Postecoglou should proceed to rotate, to refresh and to make it clear that the one strategy to keep within the workforce and be seen as a must-start participant is to take care of consistency and influence within the last third. That’s how Tottenham discover the general cohesion sport after sport after sport they’ve lacked for thus lengthy. That’s how they climb the desk, and keep there: consistency, not Spursy.
In different phrases, the broader workforce should emulate what Kulusevski has been doing all alongside, no matter his beginning function.
(Cowl picture from IMAGO)
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