Spurs concluded their trip to Melbourne yesterday with a 1-0 loss to Champions League finalists, Atletico Madrid. It was another stepping stone match where plenty of players from the development squad were able to see first team playing time.
The youngsters showed determination, playing like they deserve a spot on the first team bench come the start of the Premier League season in two weeks. Mauricio Pochettino, again, had more positives than concerns to take away from the result.
Just like the match against Juventus on Tuesday, the statistics show Tottenham were the better team, despite the result showing otherwise.
Here are three important takeaways from the final International Champions Cup match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
1. Another season of high goal scoring is possible.
Even though Spurs only scored one goal on their visit to Australia, supporters won’t be falling asleep when they attack this year. Erik Lamela almost grabbed his second goal of the trip when he hit the post in the 22nd minute. Lamela exchanged passes with striker Vincent Janssen and showed his strength finding his way into a scoring position. His powerful shot struck the bottom of Oblak’s right post after he fired away under pressure. Janssen almost scored his first public goal for Spurs when he took a free kick in the 62nd minute. After Ryan Mason was fouled outside the box, Janssen turned a strong left-footer around the wall causing Oblak to go down to his right to keep it out. Lamela developed an eye for goal this week. He scored five goals in the Premier League last season and six goals in the Europa League.
2. Development squad shows first team promise in midfield
Pochettino has plenty of options to weigh up this season when it comes to his midfielders. With Mousa Dembele suspended for the first four games of the Premier League and Heung-Min Son getting the green light to represent South Korea in the Olympic Games, the young players should be excited about getting some playing time in the first month of competitive action. Tom Carroll, Joshua Onomah and Harry Winks all got to see plenty of time on the pitch this week. Onomah came close to breaking the deadlock early on when he struck the woodwork 10 minutes into the game. A floundering corner from Christian Eriksen came to Onomah who was eight yards from goal. The midfielder struck it only to see it hit the frame. Winks commented afterwards that he enjoyed himself out there, having played 75 minutes and crediting Victor Wanyama for helping him in the midfield. “It’s like having a big brother alongside me in the midfield,” Winks said. Next week will be an opportunity for midfielders like Dembele, Dier, and Alli to get back into the swing of things, but the quality shown this week by the youngsters should see them able to produce off the bench.
3. Do Tottenham need a fourth centre-back?
With Kevin Wimmer still resting on the sidelines, Anton Walkes got the cap alongside Cameron Carter-Vickers. Carter-Vickers is the only Tottenham player to play the full 180 minutes of the Australian tour. With Spurs controlling the majority of the first half, Atletico had a chance at a free kick, five minutes before the break. Gabi’s take skimmed off of Walkes’ head allowing Diego Godin to tap in past Michel Vorm. Pochettino has already said that the squad is fine with three rotating centre-backs, but is the situation really that well off? Did Carter-Vickers, a defender who’s only 18, display enough quality to earn a spot on the bench for the season? Jan Vertonghen has been injured twice this year. Both injuries forced him to take at least two months rest, so what if Jan faces injury troubles again? Spurs have filled their needs for the striker and midfielder positions this summer, and an addition at centre-back is key for a finish in the top four and a run in the Champions League knockout rounds. Pochettino believes in the development of youth and if he thinks a youngster will provide the depth then in Poch we must trust.
Spurs will play Inter Milan next Friday, 5 August in Oslo, Norway. It will be their final pre-season match of the year.
Sources:
http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/spurs-in-melbourne/spurs-v-atletico-madrid-match-report-290716/
© e-Media Group 2016 All rights reserved no part of this document or this website may be reproduced without consent of @e_media_group
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Please keep all comments:
1-Clean (non-offensive)
2-Spurs related
3-Interesting