Tottenham fans were optimistic about their chances of finishing in the top four this season. Archie Gray and Dominic Solanke were thrilling signings, but neither has reached his full potential
Gray’s minutes have been limited, and Solanke has missed two of the first three games owing to an injury.
When you combine that injury setback with only four points from a possible nine, Ange Postecoglou’s team is off to a shaky start to the season.
However, they can only blame themselves for Sunday’s result. Newcastle United punished their opponents with missed chances and defensive blunders, winning 2-1 at St James’ Park.
Cuti Romero was caught out of position for both goals, while Destiny Udogie’s attempts to stop Jacob Murphy before he set up Alexandre Isak for his goal were ineffective.
Daniel Sturridge is looking forward to see Wilson Odobert in action today ⚡ pic.twitter.com/SENpO1xCXQ
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 1, 2024
They weren’t the only ones on the away team who let the team down.
Wilson Odobert’s performance by numbers
The teenager’s entrance from Burnley in the final few weeks of the transfer window caught everyone by surprise. This was not a deal that had been known to be in the works, thus it appeared out of nowhere.
Tottenham were overjoyed to get their man, signing him from Burnley for a cost of £25 million. The wide player began his debut encounter against Everton last weekend, but has only shown flashes of his actual skills.
He appears dynamic and eager to make an impression, but the Frenchman lacks the cutting edge to truly impact games in a positive manner.
Alasdair Gold of Football.London summed this pretty perfectly. The reporter gave him a 5/10 match rating, stating that the Frenchman had ‘enough of menace but needs to turn that into a final pass’.
"What on earth is Nick Pope doing here!?" 😤
Dan Burn puts the ball into his own net! 😱 pic.twitter.com/MAJCBDSk9J
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 1, 2024
Odobert would go on to make only one critical pass during a performance that flattered to deceive.
The beauty of Tottenham’s alternatives in the final third is that several of them can play in multiple locations on the field. It’s a fluid frontline, which makes Postecoglou’s options very dangerous.
Brennan Johnson, who played a key role in Dan Burn’s own goal, should start the derby after his impressive performance on Tyneside this afternoon, and Timo Werner might also come into the side.
If Solanke returns to form, the two wide choices may be Heung-min Son and Dejan Kulusevski.
This appears to be Postecoglou’s most scary and threatening front three. After all, he wants players who can create magic moments against an Arsenal defense that doesn’t allow many goals.
They are yet to concede with 11 men on the field this season and have only shipped once in their first three games. As a result, Odobert, who is now weak in innovation, does not believe he is the solution.
Tottenham fans would undoubtedly like to see him make an impact, but for that match, the Australian manager may prefer to go with someone with more experience.
Leave a Reply