From joy to pain. Tottenham Hotspur’s season was shown in microcosm on Saturday afternoon.
Against Roberto De Zerbi’s former employers, Brighton and Hove Albion, the Lilywhites improved significantly in Italy’s second game in charge, and the returning Xavi Simons looked to have scored a much-needed winner following his fine curling effort.
That moment from the mercurial Dutchman was a delight, although to the dismay of the hosts, it wasn’t late enough, De Zerbi’s men failed to hold on during the long stoppage time.
There is still a lot to build on, and although the north Londoners have gambled on Tudor, the new boss has little time for major problems, especially in midfield.
De Zerbi has made cuts and changes already in his two games in charge, although the other constant in the center of the park has been Conor Gallagher – should that remain the case this weekend?
Analyzing Conor Gallagher’s game by the numbers vs Brighton
With Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall making way for the experienced duo of Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur, Spurs looked to be in control of the proceedings, with the pair looking very solid in front of the back four.
Those two changes allowed Gallagher to be relegated to a high-profile role to complete the trio, the Englishman leading the media in what was an unrelenting, all-encompassing affair.
Indeed, it was really hard to criticize the work ethic of the 26-year-old, who at one point put down the opposition’s goalkeeper, Bart Verbruggen, hunting down the Dutchman in almost NFL fashion.
Winning seven out of nine duels, as well as four recoveries, there was an impressive performance by Gallagher, while he was neat and tidy in possession, after recording a solid accuracy rate of 88%.
That said, there was little more than that in football, with the former Chelsea and Atletico Madrid man registering a key pass alone, while finishing with a forward distance of -4.4m.
|
Gallagher vs Brighton |
|
|---|---|
|
Mathematics |
Record |
|
Minutes |
76 |
|
To touch |
42 |
|
Pass accuracy |
88% |
|
Key passes |
1 |
|
Dribbles |
3/3 |
|
It carries |
11 |
|
Progress |
-4.4m |
|
Duels won |
7/9 |
|
The ball is lost |
7 |
|
Shots |
1 |
In fact, the £34m signing has often backfired in charge, with De Zerbi seeing the benefits of a solid midfield trio, even though Gallagher and he lack the acumen to feed the likes of Dominic Solanke ahead of them.
Thankfully, there are now options following the return of a number of injuries, ensuring that Gallagher can find himself out of the squad in the future.
De Zerbi can still make £40m for Spurs to replace Gallagher
Soon, Gallagher’s withdrawal paid off, with his replacement, Lucas Bergvall, trying to help rally the late Simons after just stepping onto the field.
O’Hara gave the Spurs star 2/10 last week, now he’s the same as Moussa Dembele
The Tottenham star who was criticized by Jamie O’Hara now looks like the new Mousa Dembele.
That comes after a tough outing for the young Swede last week at Sunderland, however, when the 20-year-old was substituted on the hour after registering just 19 touches, losing 12 tackles and recording a pass accuracy rate of just 70%.
He may need to remain an influential player, ensuring De Zerbi can look to James Maddison as the preferred option for that team in midfield, provided the 29-year-old is fit and firing again.
Maddison, despite not playing a single minute on Saturday, was a welcome sight on the bench after a long absence, with the former Leicester City star having not featured since May and the Ange Postecoglou days.
It is no coincidence that Spurs have sunk to such depths in a season where neither Maddison nor Dejan Kulusevski have featured, with both Thomas Frank and Tudor lacking a real sense of creativity during their respective spells in charge.
For example, the aforementioned Simons leads the club this season in terms of ‘big chances’ created, although his tally of seven is well below average at N17, with five players hitting double figures in that metric in 2023/24, including Maddison (11).
The England international’s time in north London may have been greatly affected by injury, although his record speaks for itself, currently standing at 37 goals and assists in 75 games across all competitions.
As pundit Jamie Carragher noted when he signed back in 2023, Maddison fits the mold of the maverick, creative players who have impressed Spurs in the past, the name of legendary Liverpool scouts Paul Gascoigne and Glenn Hoddle.
“At the moment, Maddison looks like a model Spurs player, following in the footsteps of Paul Gascoigne and Glenn Hoddle – someone who puts a smile on the fans’ faces.
“Football is always more fun when characters like Maddison see the game as an art rather than a science. He is one of those rare footballers who are adored by the home fans and even rival fans can’t help but be loved.”
A smile on the face would be welcome at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium right now, with the ‘Madders’ boasting that ability to win a game on their own, or imagine a moment of magic, like Gascoigne and Hoddle before him.
The pair are confirmed Spurs, and while Maddison may not be in that category as things stand, the £40m man could be if he lifts this struggling side in the coming weeks.
Gallagher’s work rate and effort are commendable, but it is his compatriot who has truly changed the game at midfield levels.
Spurs have found Xavi Simons at home to fire them to safety
Roberto De Zerbi must bring out this young Spurs lad who could be Xavi Simons 2.0.
