SPURS RECORDED A 0-0 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DRAW AGAINST MONACO IN MIDWEEK AND THE TRAVELLING SUPPORT WILL HOPE THREE POINTS THIS WEEKEND CAN MOVE THE LONDON CLUB BACK INTO THE PREMIER LEAGUE TOP FOUR. WHILE MORE COMPETITIVE AND COMPACT SINCE THOMAS FRANK’S ARRIVAL AS MANAGER, TOTTENHAM HAVE STRUGGLED TO SCORE GOALS FROM OPEN PLAY THIS SEASON AND ARE LACKING AN X-FACTOR WHILE IN POSSESSION.
ALTHOUGH TOTTENHAM SIGNED XAVI SIMONS IN THE SUMMER TO ADD CREATIVE FLAIR, THE LILYWHITES APPEAR TO BE LACKING COHESION AND CUT-THROUGH IN THE FINAL THIRD. HOWEVER, IRONICALLY, THE UNAVAILABILITY OF A DEFENDER MAY BE HAMPERING SPURS’ ATTACKING EFFORTS.
ROMERO RULED OUT OF EVERTON CLASH
TOTTENHAM CAPTAIN CRISTIAN ROMERO MISSED LAST WEEKEND’S LOSS TO ASTON VILLA AND THE MIDWEEK TRIP TO MONACO WITH AN ADDUCTOR ISSUE, AND WILL NOT PLAY AGAINST EVERTON THIS WEEKEND.
FRANK HAS TOLD THE CLUB’S OFFICIAL WEBSITE THAT THE ARGENTINE IS ‘PROGRESSING’ BUT THERE IS NO TIME FRAME FOR THE WORLD CUP WINNER’S RETURN TO ACTION. TOTTENHAM HAVE BEEN FIELDING KEVIN DANSO IN ROMERO’S ABSENCE, PARTNERING THE AUSTRIA INTERNATIONAL WITH STAND-IN CAPTAIN MICKY VAN DE VEN AT CENTRE-HALF.
HOWEVER, ROMERO’S RANGE OF PASSING AND ABILITY TO START ATTACKS FROM DEEP ARE ATTRIBUTES THE LONDON CLUB ARE SEVERELY MISSING.
ROMERO’S BRAVERY ON THE BALL
DANSO IS A COMPETENT AND COMMITTED DEFENDER, HOWEVER HE LACKS THE FOOTBALLING ABILITY THAT ROMERO OFFERS TOTTENHAM. IN SEVEN PREMIER LEAGUE APPEARANCES THIS SEASON, THE AUSTRIAN HAS COMPLETED 95 PER CENT OF HIS PASSES – LARGELY DOWN TO THE FACT HE PICKS A SIMPLE BALL EACH TIME TO A TEAM-MATE WHO IS MORE COMFORTABLE IN POSSESSION THAN HE IS.
ROMERO ON THE OTHER HAND HAS COMPLETED 35 LONG PASSES IN THE SAME AMOUNT OF GAMES AND IS MORE AMBITIOUS AND BRAVE IN POSSESSION. WITH SIMONS STRUGGLING TO FIND SPACE AND CREATE PARTNERSHIPS WITH THOSE AROUND HIM, HAVING ROMERO’S ABILITY TO PLAY AN INCISIVE PASS INTO MIDFIELD WOULD HELP THE DUTCHMAN IMMENSELY.
WHILE TOTTENHAM WILL CLEARLY MISS ROMERO’S DEFENSIVE LEADERSHIP AND ORGANISATION, HIS ABILITY TO START ATTACKS FROM DEEP DUE TO HIS EXCELLENT RANGE OF PASSING IS ALSO SOMETHING FRANK MUST COMPENSATE FOR THIS WEEKEND.
