Mousa Dembele, Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen, Moussa Sissoko, Eric Dier, Victor Wanyama, Harry Winks. are all Tottenham Hotspur players, yes, but more importantly, they have all played in the centre midfield position for the club at one point or another. While Dembele, Dier, Wanyama and Winks are the four regular choices for the two available positions there, Spurs also have Sissoko, Alli and Eriksen who can all play there as makeshift midfielders.
This would mean that with such an abundance of talent not only in the form of youth and experience but also guile and steel means, Spurs can boast of having one of the best collection of players in the middle of the park.
Despite Dembele being prone to injury and not having the best season this time around, the seasoned professional is one of the mainstays in Pochettino’s midfield. His creativity and guile are what help Tottenham move the ball fast in the midfield. His usual partner Victor Wanyama is one of the strongest holding midfielders in the league. Wanyama provides the steel base and protects the back four allowing Dembele to run free up front.
As for Winks, the youngster has come a long way this season and has utilized his chances to full throttle to demand a regular place in the squad. Dier has been another gem in the Tottenham midfield and his ability to play as a makeshift centre-back makes him an absolute asset for the team.
This would mean that Tottenham are well covered in midfield and reports coming that they are seeking to add another player in the midfield is surprising. Spurs are looking to battle Arsenal for the signature of Abdoulaye Doucouré but the question will remain as to exactly how much do they need him after having seven excellent players. However, the matter is not as simple as it looks for Spurs. Dembele is on the wrong side of 30 and his injury record will pit him against time. The likes of Wanyama, Winks and Dier are rock solid defensively but none have the guile to make darting runs from midfield or distribute balls accuracy. This would mean Spurs should be looking at a creative central midfielder.
As for Abdoulaye Doucouré, the Frenchman is a physical athlete with an engine to run for ninety minutes. He is excellent with his pressing and his ability to hassle the ball away from opponents. His knack for the outrageous shots makes him a dangerous prospect.
However, he does not possess the guile or the vision of Dembele to cut open defences with his passing or spread the game quickly. Spurs already have defensive players of his mould and Tottenham can do without his signing. Instead, they should be looking to bring in other creative players who can link-up better with the attackers.
