Questions are being asked of Ange Postecoglou as the manager at Tottenham after his side's dramatic 4-3 loss to Chelsea. Despite having raced to a 2-0 lead, his side collapsed spectacularly in a match that saw the midfield falter under pressure. Key to this capitulation were Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma, who both conceded crucial penalties that turned the tide in the visitor's favor.
It’s becoming increasingly clear that without James Maddison’s creativity in the middle of the park, Tottenham have failed to instill consistent control over a match. The England international, who was only offered an 11-minute cameo against the Blues, has often been the heartbeat of Spurs’ midfield, and the decision to leave him out of the starting eleven was a confusing one. If Postecoglou is to answer the questions about his future at the club, he would be wise to start Maddison next time.
Spurs Lacked Maddison's Controlling Presence in Midfield
He must start if Postecoglou is to maintain his role as manager
As part of Postecoglou's midfield selection ahead of the clash with Chelsea, Dejan Kulusevski was named alongside £129k per week duo, Bissouma and Sarr, as part of the three, with Brennan Johnson taking the Swede's place on the right-wing. Though Kulusevski netted in early proceedings, the other two players in the middle of the park were caught in disarray on a number of occasions, and also gifted the opposition with two penalties following clumsy fouls. Sarr also lost a total of 12 duels, the most of any other player on the pitch.
Evidently, the midfield composition was not up to standard against Chelsea, and Maddison may well be the ideal solution to address this issue. The English international, who was signed from Leicester for £40 million in 2023, already has five goals and four assists in the Premier League this term, and no other Spurs player has totaled more goal contributions than the 28-year-old. Moreover, his ability to dictate the tempo of a game is vital to maintaining control over games.
Previously hailed as the savior of a club in disarray when he took over, recent results will quickly erode the goodwill Postecoglou has built, and fans are growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of forward movement at the club. Still, with some tough fixtures approaching around the corner, including against Liverpool, it is vital for the Greek-Australian custodian to repair the poor form to avoid entering the new year on thin ice, and Maddison's return to the starting eleven must be the first step.