adminRoberto De Zerbi is expected to make a number of changes to his Tottenham Hotspur side after their disappointing Carabao Cup elimination at the hands of Liverpool.
Alexis Mac Allister, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai were all on the scoresheet at Anfield on Tuesday, September 15, while Conor Gallagher provided Tottenham’s only response. The 3-1 defeat brought Spurs’ Carabao Cup campaign to an early end and leaves the club with little choice but to shift their attention entirely towards the Premier League.
Tottenham currently sit 17th in the table after four matches, a position that has increased the pressure on De Zerbi and his players. Despite spending more than £300 million during the transfer window on players including Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes and Savio, expectations around the club remain extremely high.
Interestingly, none of those three big-money arrivals started against Liverpool, although Fernandes and Savio were introduced from the bench. With another important league fixture against Aston Villa approaching, De Zerbi now has to decide whether changes are required to freshen up his team.
Mathys Tel was one of the players who attracted significant criticism following his performance at Anfield. According to Sofascore, the French forward surrendered possession 15 times during the contest, making him one of Tottenham’s most frequently dispossessed players.
Rodrigo Bentancur could miss Aston Villa clash
However, Tel was not the only Tottenham player to struggle against Liverpool. Veteran midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur endured an especially frustrating evening.
The 29-year-old midfielder was substituted after just 57 minutes, making way for Mateus Fernandes. Bentancur had already received a yellow card shortly before half-time, leaving him playing with the added pressure of avoiding another challenge that could have resulted in further punishment.
His statistics painted a difficult picture. Bentancur lost possession six times, registered an expected assist figure of just 0.02, was dribbled past once, won only half of his ground duels and committed two fouls, according to FotMob.
The performance also highlighted a recurring concern surrounding the midfielder’s style of play. Bentancur has frequently been criticised for mistimed or unnecessary challenges in midfield, particularly when attempting to disrupt opposition counter-attacks.
Against an Aston Villa side preparing to welcome Tottenham on Saturday, September 19, De Zerbi may therefore decide that a different midfield approach is required.
Who else could De Zerbi leave out?
Bentancur and Tel are not necessarily the only players who could make way against Villa. However, De Zerbi is unlikely to completely overhaul his starting XI, particularly with consistency still needed in the Premier League.
Omar Marmoush showed encouraging moments against Liverpool, but the Egyptian could potentially be more effective operating from the left side, allowing Dominic Solanke to lead the attack through the middle.
Mohammed Kudus is another option, although the winger is still working his way back from a long-term injury. As a result, De Zerbi could choose to introduce him gradually by using him as a second-half substitute rather than immediately handing him a starting role.
At the back, Tottenham could also welcome back Micky van de Ven and Jan Paul van Hecke. Their potential returns could see Marcos Senesi and Tosin Adarabioyo drop to the bench.
With the Carabao Cup now behind them, Tottenham’s priority is clear: they need to start collecting Premier League points. De Zerbi’s team selection against Aston Villa could therefore provide an important indication of which players he trusts as Spurs look to recover from their difficult start to the campaign.
admin
