Mindblowing Tottenham stats prove why Palhinha and Bentancur duo is not working

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A set of statistics have been released which show that Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur hinder the team when they start together for Tottenham Hotspur.

Tottenham Hotspur have failed to secure a victory in four of their past six matches, causing unrest amongst the club’s supporters.

Although Spurs are sixth in the Premier League table, recent performances have been a cause for concern. This was particularly true on Sunday as Tottenham were defeated 2-1 by an Aston Villa side who had only taken nine points from seven Premier League matches up to that point.

Spurs took the lead in the fifth minute, and it was Rodrigo Bentancur who found the net. However, his midfield partnership with Joao Palhinha has been called into question due to claims that it is obstructing the team from getting forward.

The Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha link-up is holding Tottenham back

Palhinha has become a relatively popular figure at Tottenham since his arrival on loan from Bayern Munich. This should come as no surprise, considering he has already scored three times in all competitions, while also displaying his defensive qualities.

Bentancur, on the other hand, has been criticised for his backwards and sideways passing and consistently choosing the safe option instead of attempting to create chances.

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However, both players have come under fire when they are played alongside each other. DribLab have released a set of stats covering all competitions, which shows how badly the Bentancur and Palhinha midfield pairing is affecting Spurs.

When the duo are playing together, Tottenham have less possession and have lower expected goals and expected threat tallies. Further to this, Spurs concede more goals per 90 minutes when both players are on the pitch, land fewer shots on target and do not have as many touches in the opposition box.

Thomas Frank needs to make Spurs braver

Thomas Frank has exercised caution at Tottenham, and this strategy has worked well in some matches. However, when his team are not dominating against the likes of Wolves and Bodo/Glimt, there is a serious problem.

The Danish boss must understand that the expectations at Spurs are vastly different to those at Brentford. As the club’s motto says, to dare is to do, and his team needs to show a lot more bravery. In order to make this happen, Frank must consider replacing Bentancur with a more attacking-minded player such as Lucas Bergvall or Pape Matar Sarr.

The stats do not lie, and they paint an ugly picture for Palhinha and Bentancur. To continue starting the midfield pairing together risks continuing a run of cagey and uninspiring Tottenham performances.

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