Yves Bissouma had a shocker for Tottenham Hotspur in their latest draw with Brighton.
It wasn’t a day to remember for either Roberto De Zerbi or for Bissouma against their former club, with the Italian boss becoming only the second manager from the last 13 to fail to win his first home game, while Bissouma failed to impress.
The Mali international has been linked heavily with an exit from Spurs over the last 12 months, and based on his showing against the Seagulls, you can see why.
He was way off the pace, which has been a sentence that has held true for far too many players this season, especially in midfield.
Bissouma is almost certain to leave Tottenham this summer, and his lack of quality in his recent performance will only accelerate that exit.
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Yves Bissouma’s game vs Brighton by the numbers
The main issue that Spurs have in midfield is that none of their options specialises in any area of their game.
They have a lot of average qualities, but nothing capable of changing a game at either end of the pitch, and Bissouma’s display showcased that perfectly.
He completed 22 of his 24 attempted passes, but that was the only positive outcome of his performance.
Bissouma failed to complete his only attempted dribble in the game, failed to create any chances, and, more worryingly, failed to win any of his four duels in the clash.
The 29-year-old made no tackles, interceptions or blocks, despite having been on the pitch for 57 minutes.
Not only was it his first chance to impress De Zerbi, but it may also prove to have been his last chance to extend his stay in North London.
Tottenham have clear priority heading into the summer window
Regardless of the outcome of their fight against relegation, Spurs’ midfield needs a complete overhaul.
They have far too many passengers in that area of the pitch, and it is hindering their ability to showcase quality attacking-wise or defensively.
Getting Bissouma’s wages off the books will help, as will that of several others who have underperformed massively, but the work will only be partly done.
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