With Tottenham Hotspur in fourth place and in control of their own destiny, it seems that a Champions League finish would conclude a promising first season for Ange Postecoglou.
However, since their crucial 4-0 victory over top-four rival Aston Villa, the Lilywhites’ form has been rather inconsistent, with two wins in five matches.
The latest of those was a heavy 4-0 defeat to Newcastle United, which would have most definitely unsettled the Spurs camp.
Unfortunately, on Saturday, Spurs’ disappointing week became even worse, as journalist Fabrizio Romano announced that first-choice left-back Destiny Udogie is set to miss the rest of the season and the Euros through injury.
With the north London derby just around the corner, this news couldn’t have possibly arrived at a worse time, but luckily, the boss does have a few replacements in line.
With that in mind, there are options in front of the Australian, with three individuals potentially stepping in during Udogie’s absence.
1 The obvious option Ben Davies
Spurs’ reliable, versatile star Ben Davies is clearly the like-for-like swap at full-back for Udogie, now that he’s the only natural left-back in the squad.
The Welsh defender has featured in 17 Premier League matches this season, both at full-back and as a centre half, which is why he’s such a valuable player to have in the squad.
The former Swansea rock is certainly a tenacious tackler who likes to get stuck in, as shown by his 4.3 duels won per game with a 66% win rate, but he’s also extremely technical, rarely giving the ball away cheaply, as highlighted by his 92% pass accuracy this season.
The only downside to fielding Davies is that his last minute of action in a Spurs shirt dates back to the end of February, and would Postecoglou want a rusty defender up against Saka?
2 The tactical tweak Emerson Royal
With Pedro Porro racing against the clock to be available in time for next weekend’s clash, Emerson Royal may end up starting the tie anyway, but as a right-back.
However, if the Spaniard does return in time, the former Barcelona man could be an option for left-back, having already played in that position five times this season in the Premier League.
The Brazilian has the right balance between attack and defence, and just like Davies, he retains the ball very well, as shown by his average pass accuracy of 92% in the Premier League this season.
Emerson has had slightly more game time than the Welsh defender this season, playing 19 matches in the league, including a half against the Magpies, which may just give him the nod.
3 The wildcard option Micky van de Ven
Lilywhites’ centre-half Micky van de Ven could be fielded in a new role for Spurs for the foreseeable future, moving one position to the left to play at full-back.
Although he’s never played in this position in a Tottenham shirt, the Dutch defender has previous experience of it when playing for his old side, VFL Wolfsburg.
Due to Van de Ven’s immense athleticism, physicality, speed, and size, he’s an extremely difficult defender to beat, hence why he’s comfortable defending 1v1 scenarios.
Goals conceded
0
Tackles
3
Dribbled past
0
Touches
56
Pass accuracy
92%
Fouls won
5
Ground duels won
9/9
As you can see by the table above from a Bundesliga game last season against Hertha Berlin, not only did Van de Ven not look out of place, but he thrived as a left-back.
With Saka up next, it’s vital that the left-back wins his individual duels and keeps the Gunners winger quiet, and given that the 22-year-old won all nine of his ground duels and wasn't dribbled past, he’s certainly capable of completing that task.
Yet, what makes Van de Ven so “impressive,” as dubbed by football scout Jacek Kulig, is that he’s extremely good technically, and his ability to cover ground easily would make Spurs dominant in transition.
If the number 37 was opted for to replace Udogie, then it would mean that Radu Dragusin would slot in at centre half, making the backline incredibly secure, and it could prove to be the way forward for the rest of the season.
