TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR STADIUM – A Tottenham welcome worthy of a returning hero. Serenaded onto the pitch, a first start in 17 months. Only not the hero everybody was expecting.
It is astonishing to think Dejan Kulusevski had started a Premier League match more recently than James Maddison, but it gives a sense of the sheer number of fires Roberto De Zerbi has been putting out. At long last, as Spurs claimed a first league victory of the season against Coventry to haul themselves off the bottom of the table and out of the relegation zone, that changed. Maddison is back. Kulusevski is back, his every touch roared on by 60,000 rapturous voices. Maybe, just maybe, are Spurs back too?
A lesson in the power of patience, with the help of a little belief. As Maddison curled a stunning opener into the top left after Mohammed Kudus’ superb touch and run past Jay Dasilva, it was hard not to wonder why we rarely see these types of goals anymore.
Later, as Omar Marmoush blitzed one of his own past Carl Rushworth, it no longer looked like a coincidence – even less so when Ben Davies trickled in a third from the edge of the box in stoppage time. Kulusevski’s comeback was miracle enough – Tottenham’s screamers were by design.
How, for example, is it possible that Maddison, a player so beset with injuries, has scored more goals from outside the penalty area than any other player since his top-flight debut in August 2018? There are exceptions, like Brighton’s Diego Gomez on the halfway line spotting the keeper off his line. Tonali, Mateus Fernandes and Kudus all tried their luck from distance and it looked like a clear De Zerbi diktat. But why do most players increasingly shy away from those moments?
There are probably three theories. You can blame the fixation on xG. Players are having their most audacious streaks trained out of them as a result of the data revolution. In the same vein, you can look at Thomas Frank’s reign. Perturbed by what he considered “low-quality” opportunities, he discouraged his side from taking too many long-range efforts. Made in Brentford, Frank was a data devotee to the point of detriment.
Thirdly, you have the general mess which has engulfed Spurs recently. They have not been scoring many beauties because they have not been scoring many goals full stop.
Nor, unfortunately, have they been keeping clean sheets. If Jack Rudoni’s equaliser was a well-executed Coventry move, it was also a tale of persistent weaknesses from Spurs. Sandro Tonali, too coy for the initial effort into the area. Jan Paul van Hecke, too easily run past. Antonin Kinsky, crumpling like a paper bag at his near post. It is just as well heads did not dip this time – and Marmoush’s strike survived a VAR check for a hand in the face of Milan van Eqijk.
For only the second time under De Zerbi, Tottenham have won a league match at home. You cannot overstate its importance in putting to bed the atmosphere of toxic misery that has felt like an ever-present here.
That is why Maddison putting together a run of games will be just as timely, just as pivotal, as Kulusevski’s return. Maddison, who lasted almost 70 minutes, will be 30 next month and will have 12 months left on his contract by the summer.
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They rose to their feet for his moment of magic. Only Kulusevski inspired the same giddy feeling, even as he donned an orange bib to run out for the first time in 526 days. On their day, the duo are De Zerbi’s most effervescent options. In the half-season before his knee-cap injury, the Swede was creating more chances than anyone at the club.
The impact of being without them has done untold damage. Without them in the starting XI, Spurs have narrowly avoided relegation, run through three managers, made 20 different signings and smashed their transfer record three times.
They may have just broken a curse too – that is even more invaluable.
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