FootballFanCast.com

It hasn't been entirely plain sailing, but it would be fair to say that Tottenham Hotspur are enjoying a relatively successful season so far.

Ange Postecoglou's side have seemingly rediscovered their form in the Premier League following their 4-1 thumping of Aston Villa, and are currently undefeated in the League Cup and Europa League.

Moreover, the North Londoners are still playing the same attractive attacking football that won them so many plaudits last year.

With that said, there is always room for improvement, and based on recent reports, they could be set to land an incredibly talented winger who could be an ideal Timo Werner upgrade in a move reminiscent of their one for Brennan Johnson last summer.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from former scout Mick Brown via Football Insider, Tottenham have maintained their interest in Nottingham Forest winger Callum Hudson-Odoi.

Brown claims that, alongside the Lilywhites, several top sides are keeping an eye on the former Chelsea ace, and while a move in January seems unlikely, one in the summer is not.

The good news for the North Londoners is that it might not cost them an arm and a leg to land the Englishman's services, as reports from the summer revealed that the Tricky Trees value the 23-year-old at around £30m.

It might not be the big name signing fans will be after, but given the potential fee, his raw ability and the similarities to the Johnson deal last year, signing Hudson-Odoi in 2025 feels like a brilliant idea, especially as he'd be an ideal upgrade over Werner.

How Hudson-Odoi compares to Werner

So, if Spurs do opt to go in for Hudson-Odoi next year, he'll either be in direct competition with Werner for a place in the starting lineup or be tasked with replacing him should the club not activate their option to buy the German, so how do their pair stack up against one another?

From a pure output perspective, it's the former Chelsea ace who comes out on top, as since the start of last season, he has scored ten goals and provided two assists in 45 appearances for the Tricky Trees, equating to a goal involvement every 3.75 games.

In contrast, the Stuttgart-born winger has scored five goals and provided five assists in 40 appearances across the same period - including his 14 games with RB Leipzig - equating to a worse average of a goal involvement every four games.

Moreover, the 57-capped international also comes out on the losing side when we compare their underlying numbers.

For example, according to FBref, Forest's "sensational" left-winger, as dubbed by scout Antonio Mango, comes out on top in several relevant metrics, including goals per shot and shot on target, passing accuracy, key passes, passes into the final third, shot and goal-creating actions and successful take-ons, all per 90.

Moreover, while he comes out second best in a few attacking statistics, such as non-penalty expected goals and assists, progressive passes and shots, he comes out ahead for a couple of defensive ones, like tackles and ball recoveries per 90, which would make him a particularly useful winger for the ultra-attack-minded Postecoglou.

A ball recovery is defined by the number of loose balls recovered by a player.

Ultimately, Werner hasn't really asserted himself in the Spurs squad, and whether he's moved on or signed in the summer, Hudson-Odoi would be the perfect upgrade. Therefore, Daniel Levy and Co should look to repeat the deal that saw them land Johnson last year and sign the talented Englishman in 2025.

Tottenham transfer chiefs are now considering a January deal for one "class" Real Madrid player in January, who also dazzled at Euro 2024 for his country.

Spurs prepare for Galatasaray trip after 4-1 win over Aston Villa

A good last seven days for Spurs was complemented by Ange Postecoglou's side securing a statement 4-1 win at home to Premier League top four rivals Aston Villa on Sunday, with Dominic Solanke's brace, a late goal by James Maddison and Brennan Johnson's equaliser putting Unai Emery to the sword.

The Lilywhites also knocked English champions Man City out of the Carabao Cup a few days prior, so Postecoglou will be hoping for a similar week, as the Australian looks to beat Victor Osimhen's Galatasaray in the Europa League and newly-promoted Ipswich Town this weekend.

However, as we've recently seen, things are rarely straightforward where Spurs are concerned.

Their 3-2 slump at Brighton, where they squandered a two-goal lead at half-time, and defeat to lowly Crystal Palace highlights that they are still pretty vulnerable on their worst days - and that is something Postecoglou needs to rectify if they're going to make good on his promise of silverware this season.

Off the field, Tottenham's wider recruitment team could assist in the transition from European qualification contenders to genuine title challengers. The north Londoners reportedly have plans for January, with Espanyol winger Javi Puado among the transfer targets at Spurs as Postecoglou seeks new attackers.

Amid uncertainty surrounding Timo Werner, who has been criticised for his wasteful finishing in front of goal, there are suggestions that Tottenham are pushing their recruitment team to look at new forwards ahead of 2025.

The German scored his first goal since March in their win over City last week, which tells the entire story, with Werner consistently finding himself in good positions to score but failing more often than not.

Another attacking option or two, who could alternate with Werner, may be an option seriously worth considering in the winter.

Tottenham considering January deal for Arda Guler

According to reports out of Spain this week, Real Madrid starlet Arda Guler, who's struggled for game time under Carlo Ancelotti, is on their agenda for January.

The Turkey international starred for his country at the Euros, helping them to an unlikely quarter-final run, and his quality hasn't gone unnoticed at N17. It is believed Tottenham are considering a January deal for Guler, and he could join them on loan, as the Galacticos consider whether to let him go on a temporary deal to further his development.

It could be a doable transfer for Spurs, and it isn't lost on pundits just how Guler can shine on his day. Called "exceptional" by Jose Mourinho, TNT Sports Commentator Ian Darke also weighed in recently - saying he would be a "fantastic" signing for Postecoglou.

“Guler would be a fantastic pickup for Tottenham – he’s a very good young player. He just can’t get in the Real Madrid side because they’ve got Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius Jr and Mbappe,” Darke explained.

“He shone at the Euros and he’ll be frustrated that he doesn’t get on the pitch very much at all. I see Real Madrid a lot. But whether they’d let him go in January, I’m not sure. Once they clinched the title last season they gave him a run of games, and he interestingly came up with a flurry of goals. If you’re talking about signing some class, he’s definitely that.”

Tottenham Hotspur have been blessed with some extraordinarily talented stars over the years, the sort of players who can change games all on their own.

Unfortunately, these players haven't necessarily translated into trophies for the North Londoners, but have often resulted in significant transfer fees.

For example, the likes of Gareth Bale and Luka Modrić put in countless sensational performances for the Lilywhites before moving to Real Madrid for huge sums of money in the 2010s, while Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Carrick moved to Manchester United in the 2000s.

However, the most recent seismic sale Spurs have made was, of course, Harry Kane.

Kane's Spurs career

Spurs picked up a young Kane all the way back in 2004, just three years after he was released by fierce rivals Arsenal, and over the next seven years, the youngster would work his way through the club's junior sides before going out on his first loan to Leyton Orient in January 2011.

The next couple of years would see the Englishman go out on several more loans, and, following a few first-team appearances in the 13/14 season, he was finally given a proper run of games to prove himself the following year, and prove himself he did.

In his 51 appearances across all competitions, the Walthamstow-born phenom racked up an incredible haul of 31 goals and five assists, securing his place leading the line from that point onwards.

In all, the world-class centre-forward made 435 first-team appearances for the Lilywhites, in which he scored a ridiculous 280 goals and provided 61 assists for good measure, equating to a goal involvement once every 1.27 games.

This unreal level of output understandably made Kane one of the most-sought-after strikers on the planet, and after years of will he won't he, the Spurs icon finally left the club, moving to Bayern Munich in a transfer that net Daniel Levy and Co a fee in the region of €100m, which was £86.4m at the time.

The mammoth fee was the one thing that made the blow of losing such an incredible player that bit more bearable. While it's unlikely that Postecoglou has anyone as talented as the Englishman in his squad today, one of his players could eventually fetch a fee similar to his.

Spurs' next big sale

So, the player in question is Spurs' inform sensation, Brennan Johnson. The Welsh international joined the club last summer from Nottingham Forest for around £47.5m, and while he had a slow start to life in the capital, he ended the campaign with a reasonably impressive haul of five goals and ten assists in 34 games.

He's been even more impactful so far this season, and in just 15 games, has already scored seven goals, which is only made more impressive considering how he once again started the year in middling fashion.

This red-hot form has seen him compared to several talented wingers in England and beyond, including Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli, and while that might not be a comparison the Spurs faithful love, it makes sense.

For example, both players are particularly fond of running at opposition defenders with the ball at their feet and looking for ways to get a shot off or to get into the box.

However, it's the winger from N17 who seems to be better at that this year, considering the Gunners ace has just two goals and three assists in as many games.

With that said, the comparison itself stems from FBref, which looks at players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues before creating a ten-man list of the most comparable players, and in this case, it considers the Brazilian to be the second most similar winger to the Welshman.

You can get a better idea of how they come to this conclusion by looking at the underlying statistics where they most closely align, which in this case includes metrics such as shots on target, non-penalty expected goals plus assists, goals per shot on target, passes into the penalty area, passing accuracy, live passes, successful take-on percentage, aerial duels won, carries and carries into the penalty area, all per 90.

The Spurs faithful might not be overjoyed by this comparison, but they could be in the future, as according to the CIES Football Observatory, Martinelli is worth a staggering €127m, which converts to about £107m, and if the pair are that similar on the pitch, there is no reason to think Johnson couldn't also be worth as much in the future, especially as he's outperforming the Brazilian this season.

Therefore, it's the former Forest ace who could one day be the Lilywhites' next Kane-esque sale.

Despite a few hiccups, Tottenham Hotspur have enjoyed a relatively successful start to the season.

Ange Postecoglou's men are playing some of the most exciting football in the country, are undefeated in the cup competitions and are just two points off of Arsenal in the Premier League.

Moreover, the Australian's star players are really starting to step up, with Brennan Johnson continuing his fine form, Dominic Solanke bagging a brace on the weekend, and Dejan Kulusevski pulling the strings in midfield.

In fact, due to his incredible performances in his new position, the Swedish international has a claim to be the club's most important player, so it's encouraging to know that one of the Lilywhites' up-and-coming stars is outscoring him out on loan.

Kulusevski's form this season

It's been an interesting season for Kulusevski so far, as his form has mirrored that of the club's in the sense that early on, he was struggling to really assert himself in games.

For example, in his first five league appearances, he was only able to produce a single assist, but in the five since, he's scored twice and provided another assist, producing three more in the cups to take his total to five.

Moreover, as the team have found their footing, the former Juventus ace has become increasingly important in his new central role, as demonstrated by his utterly sensational performance against Manchester United in September.

In his 96 minutes of action that game, the "world-class" dynamo, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, scored and became the first visiting player since the 03/04 season to create nine chances at Old Trafford, per OptaJoe.

In all, it's been a fantastic start to the campaign for Kulusevski this year, and should he maintain his form until May, he could be an outside shout for the Player of the Year. So, the fact he's being outscored by one of the club's promising loanees can only be an encouraging sign for the future of Postecoglou's attack.

Spurs' loan star

Now, while there are a number of Tottenham's youngsters out on loan this season, the one we are talking about is centre-forward Dane Scarlett.

The 20-year-old poacher joined newly promoted Championship outfit Oxford United for the season back in August, and while he had a slow start to life at the Kassam Stadium that led some to fear his move would mirror his failed loan to Ipswich Town last season, he has since found some form.

In fact, in his last four appearances for the Yellows, the Hillingdon-born marksman, whom talent scout Jacek Kulig described as being "born to score goals", has found the back of the net on three occasions, beating Kulusevski's tally and jumping up to joint-second on the Championship side's top scorers list.

Moreover, the "outrageous" talent, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has been in fine form for England's U20 team, scoring nine goals and providing one assist in just 20 appearances, which is almost as impressive as his form for the U19s, where he scored 12 goals and provided one assist in 14 games.

This unreal form probably hasn't come as much of a surprise to the youth coaches at Spurs, as in 38 appearances for the Lilywhites' various junior sides, the 5 foot 11 gem scored 27 goals and provided five assists, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 1.18 games.

Ultimately, scoring goals in the Championship is obviously easier than scoring in the Premier League. However, the fact that Scarlett has found the back of the net more than Kulusevski is still impressive, and when combined with his record at the youth level, it looks like Spurs could have a seriously talented forward on their hands.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou has been dealt another fitness worry alongside both Son Heung-min and Richarlison, with the Australian preparing for important games against Turkish champions Galatasaray in Europe and newly-promoted Ipswich Town in the Premier League.

Tottenham 4-1 Aston Villa as Spurs seal impressive win

The Lilywhites' disappointing 1-0 defeat away to Crystal Palace recently appears to have been put firmly behind them.

Spurs followed up that defeat at Selhurst Park by knocking English champions Man City out of the Carabao Cup last 16 last Wednesday, with Postecoglou's side then thumping top four rivals Aston Villa 4-1 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The statement victory announced to supporters that they're still very much in contention for a place in the Champions League next season, and maybe even potential silverware, as it was a convincing display by the home side.

Morgan Rogers originally handed Villa a 1-0 lead, which they maintained until the second period. Thereafter, the floodgates opened for Tottenham, who were revitalized after what must have been a stern half-time team talk by Postecoglou.

In-form winger Brennan Johnson notched their equaliser a few minutes after the restart, with summer signing Dominic Solanke's quick-fire brace then handing Spurs a 3-1 lead and a two-goal cushion with just 10 minutes left to play.

James Maddison was superb on the day and sealed all three points for the home side deep into added time, rounding off a brilliant win and relieving a lot of the pressure off Postecoglou's shoulders.

"You're playing a top team and you know with Villa that they're always going to have a real strong performance because they're very, very consistent. They rarely have off days and you've got to be ready for that," said Postecoglou after Spurs' 4-1 win over Villa.

"I thought we had to match it with them in the first half. We had to sort of draw on their energy and make them work really hard. Obviously we conceded a goal, but I still felt like we made them work really hard in that first half.

"And, you know, the thing with us is we've got another gear in us, two or three gears and we keep going and we felt like we could really break them open in the second half if we just really stayed focused on making sure the football was up tempo and there was intensity in the game and credit to the players after a massive effort on Wednesday night, at least they know that physically they did it again."

One dampener of the afternoon was Richarlison picking up an injury, with the Brazilian picking up a hamstring problem.

Postecoglou dealt Werner concern alongside Son and Richarlison

A few key players are out for Spurs at the moment, including star centre-back Micky van de Ven, who is more long-term, so adding Richarlison to that list would be a blow considering the £90,000-per-week ex-Everton star has already missed a portion of this campaign through injury.

According to GiveMeSport, Timo Werner is also carrying a bit of an issue. The German, who scored his first goal since March with the opener against Man City last week, is apparently nursing a problem of his own alongside Son.

The last five years have seen a monumental amount of change at Tottenham Hotspur.

The North Londoners have seen five permanent managers take up the job, an unsuccessful League Cup final against Manchester City and arguably their greatest-ever player leave, Harry Kane.

On top of that, each manager has been able to sign a number of their own players to varying levels of success, and it would be fair to say José Mourinho was responsible for some poor additions, including one who earned significantly more than the man of the moment, Dominic Solanke.

Spurs' 2020 summer signings

So, before we get to the player in question, let's look at a couple of other flops Mourinho signed that summer, including Irish full-back Matt Doherty.

The Dublin-born international joined the club that August from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a fee of around £14.7m and did so off the back of an impressive season with the Old Gold in which he made 50 appearances, scored seven goals and provided four assists.

However, that form did not follow him to North London, and in two and a half years in the capital, he made just 71 appearances, in which he scored three goals and provided eight assists before his contract was terminated by mutual consent.

Unfortunately for the Lilywhites, Doherty wasn't the only full-back Mourinho signed that summer, as he also oversaw the £27m capture of the Real Madrid left-back Sergio Reguilon, who was coming off of a successful loan campaign with Sevilla, during which he scored three goals and provided five assists in 38 games.

Just like with his former teammate, the Spaniard could not show the same form he had the season prior in N17, and after two disappointing years, began a series of loan spells that has seen him play for Atlético, Manchester United and, most recently, Brentford.

However, while both full-backs have to be considered flop signings, neither one was handed a wage as large as another of the special ones' disappointing signings from that summer.

Mourinho's costly signing

The player is Danish international Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, who was arguably Mourinho's most successful permanent addition from the summer of 2020, but given the competition, that's not much to shout about.

The combative midfielder joined Spurs from fellow Premier League side Southampton for a fee of around £15m, which was fairly reasonable, but what wasn't was the massive salary of £100k-per-week the club agreed to pay him.

That is £10k-per-week more than record signing Solanke is currently earning, and while he's had a slow start to life in N17, he now has a reasonable tally of five goals and two assists in 13 appearances to his name.

Now, as many fans will attest, the København-born ace wasn't a terrible player, and at times, it seemed like he was the only one who cared, but in a sport where caring counts for very little compared to ability and results, it's hard not to look at his time at the club as underwhelming.

In all, he made 184 appearances for the first team, scoring ten goals, providing 16 assists and picking up 27 yellow cards, but following a season of trying to adapt to Ange Postecoglou's style of play last year, he moved to Marseille on a season-long loan with an option to buy this summer.

In all, the 29-year-old earned around £20.8m in wages during his time at the club, which brings his total cost to around £35.8m, which can be broken down to £194k-per-appearance, £3.5m-per-goal, £2.2m-per-assist or £1.3m-per-goal-involvement.

Ultimately, Højbjerg wasn't an utter flop like some of the other players the special one signed during his tenure, but he wasn't a roaring success either, and the financial cost is just another reminder of that.

Tottenham have been tipped to sign a new striker this January, and have already identified the player they want to add to Ange Postecoglou's ranks midway through the season, according to a fresh report.

Tottenham's injury news

It has been a mixed start to Postecoglou's second season in charge of the Lilywhites, with Spurs having lost four of their opening ten Premier League games, but also having managed to pick up five wins on the way.

As well as impressively beating Manchester United 3-0, they also came from a goal down to thrash Aston Villa 4-1 in their most recent outing. But it was a game that handed them some injury headaches too.

Already without Micky van de Ven due to a hamstring injury he picked up against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup, Postecoglou lost his centre-back partner Cristian Romero too, with the World Cup winner picking up a foot injury when making a challenge in the second half, and needing to be substituted.

Then, in the closing stages, Richarlison was also forced off with an injury less than half an hour after he had returned from injury as a second half substitute. Though Spurs added Dominic Solanke to their ranks over the summer in a club record deal, there is concern over potential alternatives to the England international, with Richarlison having managed just 88 minutes of Premier League action in two months thus far.

Now, a fresh report has claimed that Tottenham are considering an audacious January move to provide emergency cover for Solanke.

Tottenham to move for "special" Real Madrid youngster

That comes as a report in Spain reveals that Tottenham are among the potential suitors to sign Real Madrid talent Endrick on loan in January.

The Brazilian teenager has struggled for game time at the Santiago Bernabéu following the arrival of Kylian Mbappé. He has yet to start a game for Los Blancos in La Liga and has managed just 40 minutes of action across seven league appearances, though he has managed a goal and an assist in that time.

That lack of opportunity in the Spanish capital has left Real Madrid "considering a loan move" for Endrick, and "the idea of ​​allowing the Brazilian striker to gain experience in a competitive environment has gained traction" recently.

And Tottenham are one of the sides showing an interest in potentially adding him to their ranks should he become available, even just short-term, while Real Madrid are open to the idea of sending him to north London because "Postecoglou has proven to be a manager who trusts young players", something that would increase his chances of regular game time.

Should he leave Real Madrid, whoever lands him on loan would be getting one of Brazil's best talents. Former Manchester City and Brazil midfielder Elano dubbed him "special" in September, likening him to the greats of the past including Ronaldinho, Neymar and Ronaldo Nazario.

"Endrick is special - he belongs to that group of super-talented players that Brazil has produced in the past: Neymar, Ronaldinho and Ronaldo", he explained. "Endrick is the whole package: technical quality, combined with physical strength and great mental power.”

Could he be set to take those talents to north London?

Tottenham and Ange Postecoglou have already identified their priority January target as they look to push their way up the Premier League table, according to a fresh report.

Tottenham enjoying strange season

Tottenham's season has been a curious one so far. The club have lost four of their opening ten games, with a particularly poor defeat coming against Crystal Palace, but in the last seven days they have knocked Manchester City out of the Carabao Cup before coming from 1-0 down to thrash Aston Villa 4-1, both in front of 60,000 fans at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Their results leave them seventh in the top flight, above Brighton on goal difference and just two points behind north London rivals Arsenal and Sunday's opponents Aston Villa.

They are also in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup, while they have won each of their opening three Europa League games to sit second behind Lazio. After their most recent victory, Ange Postecoglou admitted he was happy with how his side had gone through the gears against Villa, especially in the second half.

"Villa are a good side. The first half was a bit of an arm wrestle. They have a consistent level of performance. We have other gears in us which we showed in the second half.

"Seven days is a long time in football. Seven days ago I was a grumpy old so and so. We have to stay true to the course we're on. We made sure not to feel sorry for ourselves and back to the team we want to be."

However, in a bid to stay competitive across all three competitions and scoop some long overdue silverware, Tottenham are already looking towards January.

Tottenham identify January priority

That comes according to Football Insider, who report that Spurs have made signing a new midfielder a priority this January as they look to bolster their depth. In fact, the report even claims club chiefs are already "working on a deal".

Dejan Kulusevski has been used as a central midfielder for much of the season to date, and has been excellent in his new role. However, there are concerns over the form of James Maddison, who was taken off at half-time against West Ham and left on the bench for both of their recent wins over Manchester City and Aston Villa.

On the other hand, all of Pape Sarr, Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur are considered more defensively minded midfielders, while injuries and rotation has seen Postecoglou fail to settle on a preferred midfield trio as he looks to balance attack and defence.

And according to the report, Spurs and Postecoglou are "keen to bolster the position". It is added that Netherlands star Tijjani Reijnders is among the players that they have considered, but that a January deal for him is “highly unlikely".

Spurs do have other options in midfield, with young duo Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall having arrived over the summer. However, it is claimed that the pair are "considered too inexperienced to step into the pressure of a starting midfield spot".

Tottenham Hotspur showed why, under Ange Postecoglou, that at their best they are a force to be reckoned with on Sunday afternoon.

Spurs have flattered to deceive at points this term, notably losing to a winless Crystal Palace a week ago, but since then have shown why teams should be scared of them, beating Manchester City in the cup and then smacking four past Aston Villa in a 4-1 victory.

No team in the Premier League up to this point have scored more than their 22 goals. They are full of life and can outscore pretty much any team they face.

Dominic Solanke - who scored twice at the weekend - will no doubt take the plaudits but another face was just as good, if not better, than the striker. It was a display that had shades of a certain Mousa Dembele.

Why Mousa Dembele was so loved at Spurs

"Dembele was probably the best player I’ve ever seen play football," remarked Kyle Walker many moons ago. He was "a freak of nature” in the words of Eric Dier.

Gain such fine praise from your pears and it's hardly a surprise that he was so loved at White Hart Lane.

Dembele had the poise and grace of the finest footballers in the game but he combined that with a steely physical nature. In essence, he had it all. He could score goals, he could tackle ruthlessly and he could pick a pass.

One of his finest campaigns on English shores came in 2015/16 and to give credence to the claims we've just offered, he was involved in four goals, registered 2.9 successful dribbles per game and won 3.6 tackles per match. Yeah, he was everywhere, he did it all.

So, when the Belgian decided to leave for China in 2019, it was a sad day for Spurs supporters. Arguably since that day, they have struggled to find a player with similar qualities. That's perhaps until the win over Aston Villa.

Tottenham's new Mousa Dembele

There were a number of key performers in that win over Unai Emery's team on Sunday, not least Solanke who was the scorer of two goals.

However, Pape Matar Sarr deserves an equal amount of praise for a display that Football.London felt obliged to hand a 9/10 rating.

In the words of GOAL's Mitch Fretton, the Senegalese was a "monster" in the middle of the park and although he perhaps didn't show the same level of drive with the ball, failing to attempt a single dribble, he was very much Dembele-esque in a lot of the work he got through.

In the process of winning three duels, completing a supremely impressive 92% of his passes and boasting more touches (80) than anyone on the field, his finest action came when helping Spurs score their third goal of the game.

If the fact he had more touches than anyone else didn't give you Dembele vibes then the way he broke up the play for Solanke's second of the day should.

Sarr pounced on Pau Torres' loose ball before darting forward with his great lengthy strides and sending it through to Richarlison who laid it on a plate for the £65m signing to score from. It was one of two interceptions from the young 22-year-old who should now be one of the first names on the teamsheet.

He drives his team forward, breaks up the play brilliantly and covers so much ground for his team. All of a sudden he is vital to the way Postecoglou wants his team to play.

Tottenham Hotspur meet Aston Villa in the Premier League this afternoon, and though fans were delighted with a win over Manchester City in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, this is a different test entirely.

Unai Emery's high-flying side perch five points ahead of Spurs, who have only won four of their nine top-flight fixtures thus far. They were defeated by Crystal Palace, who were previously winless, last weekend.

While Ange Postecoglou and his squad are hardly in dire straits, there is a feeling that defeat in north London against the Villans - for the second season running - would place a sour taste in the fanbase's proverbial mouth.

It'll be a tough test indeed, there are no two ways about it. Aston Villa are unbeaten on the road in the Premier League this term and have only been beaten by Arsenal, way back in match-week two.

Moreover, Micky van de Ven has picked up another injury and faces a spell on the sidelines. Fans can only hope that it doesn't prove to be a detrimental blow.

Micky van de Ven's injured - again

Van de Ven is a fantastic footballer, endowed with the highest calibre of athleticism and keeping things crisp from Tottenham's backline, one of the sharpest distributors in the Premier League.

The 23-year-old has been plying his craft in the English capital for over one year now, joining from German side Wolfsburg in a £43m deal in August 2023. He's been brilliant; it's quite easy to forget how porous Spurs were in defence before his advent.

Indeed, the Dutchman ranks among the top 1% of centre-backs in the English top flight this season for assists, the top 14% for pass completion, the top 11% for progressive passes, and the top 14% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref. Such metrics underscore the complete nature of his skill set.

He's a singular player, irreplaceable, even. His lightning-quick pace and muscular physique make him the prototypical defender to nullify Aston Villa's frontline, with the likes of Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran, once he is inevitably unleashed past the hour mark, certain to be emboldened by his absence.

Tottenham worries have been compounded by the potential absence of Cristian Romero too, with Postecoglou revealing that the Argentine titan was left feeling "a bit sore" following the victory over City.

That eventuality is bound to send a frisson of fear lancing through Lilywhites supporters near and far. Although, saying that, it's not all doom and gloom.

Radu Dragusin is set to start in central defence, regardless of Romero's fitness. The 22-year-old Romanian won his only ground duel against City on Wednesday, as per Sofascore, also making five clearances to keep the visitors at bay.

Who else to promote to the rearguard? Archie Gray is one option, but he's young and inexperienced, and would not fare well in a moonlit position against a team like Villa.

Ben Davies, then.

Ben Davies could replace Van de Ven - again

Davies has been at Tottenham for some time. In July 2014, the Wales international arrived from Swansea City in a swap deal worth £10m.

He's been a loyal servant down N17. A decade later, Davies, now aged 31, has made 335 appearances for the north Londoners, scoring nine goals and supplying 23 further assists.

An 89-cap international, he's as experienced as they come and hardly averse to playing from the outset in the Premier League - albeit, Postecoglou is yet to dispatch him in the league this season.

That said, Davies has played every minute of Tottenham's Europa League campaign so far, keeping a clean sheet at centre-back against AZ Alkmaar last time out.

As per Sofascore, he's completed 91% of his passes across those three fixtures while averaging 85 touches per game. This bodes well for Davies' potential replacement of Van de Ven, for he's not afraid to star at the centre of the action in central defence and is a top-class passer besides.

He's also proven himself to be capable of stepping in for the Netherlands star last season, proving to be something of a hero during the threadbare spell of Spurs' 2023/24 season, when Van de Ven was sidelined throughout the winter period.

The £80k-per-week ace is of course not as good as Van de Ven. He's not as mobile, and nor is he blessed with the same athletic prowess. Having said that, though, the Welshman's metrics do align quite nicely when contrasting them against his Spurs positional peer, as you can see below.

Davies might not carry some of the same natural-born properties as Van de Ven, sure, but he's a reliable and robust defender who doesn't earn as much match action as perhaps he deserves.

Only last season, as stated, the defender stepped in for his peer and produced some composed and cultured performances in the face of adversity, starting 12 matches, completing 91% of his passes, and winning 68% of his ground duels.

So then, he's not just competent on the continent, against ostensibly lower-level opponents. Davies is assured and will not find his fluency knocked by an absence from the Premier League field.

In fact, the long-serving Spurs man's industriousness may well blend nicely with the more dynamic defending of Dragusin, sure to start against Villa later on today.

Of course, Romero's unavailability is not something that Tottenham supporters would hope for, but it's perhaps a testament to Postecoglou's project that he's created a team with ample cover for such conundrums.

Davies has what it takes to send Emery's outfit packing, and he should be unleashed. Who knows, if Romero does receive the green light, maybe his particular profile would be best served in the starting line-up, instead of Dragusin.