5 Tottenham players that must step up against Sunderland
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 14: Fabinho of AS Monaco tackles Dele Alli of Tottenham Hotspur during the UEFA Champions League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and AS Monaco FC at Wembley Stadium on September 14, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)
Dele Alli must lead Tottenham to victory this weekend
It’s plain to see that Tottenham boss is seething about the way his team played against Monaco on Wednesday. Winning against Sunderland this weekend isn’t an option for Spurs, it’s a requirement from their Argentine boss.
Unfortunately for Pochettino, he’ll have to rely on his players to defeat the Black Cats. At this point, I’m fairly certain he’s willing to suit up himself to try to ignite his squad. He’s gone so far as to warn his players that they must play with extreme passion on Sunday.
You can bet that Pochettino has the attention from the full Tottenham roster. It’s quite likely that he’ll start a rotated squad against Sunderland which should help him get their attention even more. Some normal stars are going to find themselves on the bench.
He’ll expect a lot more energy from all 11 starters, but these five men will need to up their game in particular. The gaffer will be paying special attention to the following players on Sunday.
ENFIELD, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 13: Ben Davies of Tottenham Hotspur in action during the Tottenham Hotspur training session at Tottenham Hotspur training centre on September 13, 2016 in Enfield, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)
5. Ben Davies
The Welsh left back has played two matches for the injured Danny Rose, and he’s experienced two very different results. Against Stoke he was one of Spurs best players. On the other hand, he was entirely average against Monaco. Which Davies will we get on Sunday?
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If he wants to be a factor as the season progresses, he’d better put in a solid shift against Sunderland. In particular, he needs to be an offensive threat. His inability to get forward against Monaco made the Spurs attack largely one-sided.
That served to exhaust Kyle Walker and make the club exceedingly predictable. Neither consequence is something Pochettino will want to see happen again on Sunday.
The good news for Davies is that he’ll be back in the friendly confines of White Hart Lane. The smaller pitch size should help him perform his defensive duties more comfortably than the expansive Wembley pitch. Look for him to whip some dangerous crosses into the box from the opening whistle on Sunday.
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 14: Moussa Sissoko of Tottenham Hotspur in action during the UEFA Champions League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and AS Monaco FC at Wembley Stadium on September 14, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
4. Moussa Sissoko
I’m betting on the fact that Sissoko is going to get his first Tottenham start on Sunday. He’s come off the bench twice now, but could certainly benefit from a full 90 minutes on the pitch.
If he’s entrusted with that kind of playing time, he’ll need to produce. He has all the physical characteristics to be an absolute nightmare for the Sunderland back line. Contributing either a goal or an assist would go a long way towards endearing him to the Spurs faithful.
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Given his reputation (fair or otherwise) for playing uninspired football for Newcastle, this would also be a good opportunity for him to dispel that notion at Tottenham. Pochettino has called for more passion from his players, and Sissoko would be wise to heed that warning.
I’m optimistic that Sissoko is going to show us his full bag of tricks on Sunday. Count on him being hugely influential in the Spurs attack against Sunderland.
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 14: Djibril Sidibe of AS Monaco is challenged by Mousa Dembele of Tottenham Hotspur during the UEFA Champions League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and AS Monaco FC at Wembley Stadium on September 14, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)
3. Moussa Dembele
The Belgian midfielder made his triumphant return to the Tottenham lineup against Monaco, but only as a halftime substitute. Expect to see him back in the starting XI on Sunday.
He’ll likely be paired with a much more defensive-minded partner in the double-pivot. That means we need to see him carry the ball forward with real purpose this weekend. Fortunately, that’s one of Dembele’s real strengths.
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He doesn’t need to be the man who finishes off any of the offensive attacks. His job is to get the ball into a dangerous area, and then move it on to one of Tottenham’s talented attackers. His presence on the pitch could be huge for someone like Erik Lamela or Sissoko.
The other hope for Spurs fans is just that Dembele can show his ability to play a full 90 minutes. He just needs to show he’s ready to be an every week starter again if Tottenham are going to challenge for a Premier League title.
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 14: Andrea Raggi of AS Monaco is held off by Vincent Janssen of Tottenham Hotspur during the UEFA Champions League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and AS Monaco FC at Wembley Stadium on September 14, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
2. Vincent Janssen
As you’ll recall, I’m a firm believer that Harry Kane needs a rest on Sunday. If he does start the match on the bench, it means that Vincent Janssen will get the start at striker.
If the Dutchman does get his big chance, he needs to make something happen. I’m not saying he needs to score a goal or provide an assist, but of course that’d be my preference.
What he really needs to do is prove that he can be a focal point for the Spurs attack. He’s shown a real ability to play with his back to goal, and that skill could be very useful. I’d like to see him play high up the pitch, and hold the ball up for the rest of the club’s attackers.
Janssen doesn’t need to play a starring role against Sunderland, he just needs to look the part of a legitimate Premier League centre forward. If he does that job, it’ll likely equal a win for his club and valuable rest for Harry Kane.
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 14: Dele Alli of Tottenham Hotspur is challenged by Kamil Glik of AS Monaco during the UEFA Champions League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and AS Monaco FC at Wembley Stadium on September 14, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
1. Dele Alli
Tottenham’s English starlet had a pretty eventful match against Monaco. He made the crowd ohh and ahh repeatedly, but never broke through with a goal. That needs to change against Sunderland.
I’m not one of the Tottenham fans who complains about Alli’s showmanship. I like a player with some creative flair, and Alli certainly fits the bill. My only issue is that he needs to increase the frequency of his flair leading to an actual goal or assist.
Sometimes Alli just needs to be content with making the simple play or pass. Nutmegging the most defenders doesn’t necessarily help Tottenham win any matches. It can put the defense in a precarious situation, but it isn’t always the most direct route to a scoring chance.
Against the Black Cats, I want to see Alli strike a healthy balance between style and substance. If he does, Spurs will come out on top.
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