Tottenham Hotspur will look to make it three Europa League wins in a row when they host AZ on Thursday night.
Spurs got their European campaign under way with a 3-0 thrashing of Qarabag FK on 26 September before running out 2-1 winners at Ferencvaros on 3 October.
Now, Tottenham will hope to take the momentum from their 4-1 hammering of West Ham into their game against the Eredivisie’s fifth-placed side.
TBR Football looks at who Ange Postecoglou could name in the Spurs starting XI for the 8pm kick-off at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Tottenham team news v AZ
Postecoglou told reporters at his pre-match presser – via football.london – that Son Heung-min will miss out on the AZ game, but he “was never going to be involved anyway”.
Meanwhile, fellow Tottenham forward Richarlison is in contention and is “ready to go,” while Djed Spence – who is not eligible to play – took part in individual training.
There’s a chance Wilson Odobert could feature, but Postecoglou stressed Spurs “have to be a bit more careful” with the summer signing as he has only returned to training this week.
Predicted Tottenham XI
We feel Postecoglou will make wholesale changes for the game, but retain a few big guns too
Vicario is likely to stay put in goal, but the defence could change considerably – we feel Cristian Romero will be the only back line player to remain from the West Ham match.
Postecoglou will likely be eager to give Radu Dragusin some much-needed game time, while Archie Gray could start at right-back and the experienced Ben Davies could slot in on the left.
This means Micky van de Ven, who featured prominently in the pre-match build up and took part in the press conference, would have to make do with a spot on the bench.
Dejan Kulusevski and Yves Bissouma could be rested, with Rodrigo Bentancur and Lucas Bergvall coming in alongside £170,000-a-week (Spotrac) star James Maddison.
As for the front line, this could see an overhaul. With Son not involved, Timo Werner is likely to take his place, with Mikey Moore on the other flank and Richarlison leading the line.
RELATED NEWS
Son Heung-Min is undoubtedly a living legend at Tottenham Hotspur, but with the latter stages of his career approaching, Spurs have already found his successor.
Son Heung-Min has been the heartbeat of Tottenham since he joined from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015. Over the years, he has become nothing short of a legend for the club.
With more than 300 Premier League appearances under his belt, Son’s lightning pace, remarkable dribbling skills, and knack for cutting inside have made him a nightmare for defenders.
His ability to score crucial goals in the most important moments has solidified his place as one of the top players, not only for Spurs but also in the Premier League.
Despite his impressive career, Son is now 31, and while his contract with Tottenham runs until 2025, the club must start looking at life beyond the South Korean superstar.
Finding a player who can fill his shoes won’t be easy, but Tottenham may already have the answer in their ranks: Wilson Odobert.
Tottenham may have already found Son Heung-Min’s successor
Wilson Odobert, Tottenham’s exciting summer signing from Burnley, could well be the heir to Son’s throne. At just 19, Odobert has already shown his potential, impressing in a tough Premier League season with Burnley, where he made 29 appearances and scored three goals.
Before making his mark in the Premier League, Odobert came through the ranks at Paris Saint-Germain’s highly regarded academy, which has produced some of the world’s best players.
Though tipped to become a star at PSG, he made the bold choice to leave in pursuit of more game time. This led him to Troyes, where he continued to develop before catching the attention of Burnley.
His speed, technical ability, and versatility have earned him a move to Spurs, and Ange Postecoglou seems confident that Odobert can make an immediate impact.
Odobert is a different kind of winger, one who thrives on taking defenders head-on and is comfortable playing on either wing or through the middle.
Much like Son in his prime, Odobert isn’t afraid to take risks and run at defenders. Postecoglou has already highlighted how Odobert brings something fresh to Tottenham’s attack, and his ability to play across the front line is something that could prove invaluable as the season progresses.
Son’s influence on Tottenham cannot be overstated, but his advancing age means it’s only a matter of time before a successor is needed.
Odobert, with his dynamic style of play, youthful energy, and Premier League experience, could be the perfect player to step up when the time comes.
While it’s still early days, Odobert has all the ingredients to follow in Son’s footsteps. The young Frenchman has a bright future ahead, and with the guidance of Postecoglou and a talented Tottenham squad around him, he could be the player to carry Tottenham forward once Son’s legendary career begins to wind down.
