The 2024/25 season will likely serve as a more accurate measure of Ange Postecoglou and his long-term prospects as the manager of Tottenham Hotspur.
The current campaign has been a winding road with several surprises, and the balmy days of Postecoglou’s early-season exploits now seem a long, long way in the distance.
Saying that, Tottenham are fifth in the Premier League heading into the final games of the term, just three points behind Aston Villa in the top four (with a game in hand), and have matched last year’s 60-point finish with six matches to spare, almost certain to qualify for European football in some form.
Clearly, there are some glaring structural issues within the Tottenham system right now, but Postecoglou’s tactical identity has displayed signs of success this season.
There is something… missing. A certain cog would whir the machine into life, creating a domino effect that would see myriad stars reclaim and discover the lofty ceilings of their individual skill sets.
It’s the defensive midfield. Yves Bissouma‘s monstrous performances at the start of the season have fizzled out and there is now real concern over the Mali international’s future as Spurs’ No. 6.
Yves Bissouma’s performances this season
Signed from Brighton & Hove Albion in a deal rising to £35m in 2022, Bissouma joined Tottenham with a weight of expectation after some stellar showings on the south coast, but he endured a miserable maiden season in London and started just ten times in the Premier League.
Under Postecoglou, at the start of the current campaign, the 27-year-old was a man reborn and produced some scintillating displays, threading the team together and allowing his teammates to find space, presenting a steely foundation.
Indeed, as per FBref, Bissouma ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 12% for progressive passes, the top 14% for successful take-ons, the top 5% for tackles and the top 7% for interceptions per 90.
These are metrics of the elite level, denoting the technical quality of the highest class. Bissouma, at his best, is a brilliant player to have within the starting line-up, but impressive efforts have been few and far between after that excellent start and Postecoglou’s project is suffering as a result.
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Yves Bissouma: Recent PL Match Ratings |
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|---|---|---|
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Fixture |
Score |
Match Rating |
|
Newcastle United (A) |
4-0 loss |
3/10 |
|
Nottingham Forest (H) |
3-1 win |
6/10 |
|
West Ham United (A) |
1-1 draw |
7/10 |
|
Luton Town (H) |
2-1 win |
5/10 |
|
Fulham (A) |
3-0 loss |
3/10 |
|
Sourced via football.london |
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Look at his recent match ratings in the Premier League, marked by correspondent Alasdair Gold, who knows his stuff and spends much time examining and dissecting player performance down N17.
Bissouma is simply anonymous, at the epicentre of the struggle when the going gets tough – as evidenced through his efforts in chastening defeats against Newcastle United and Fulham.
Moreover, his disciplinary record is simply inexcusable, sent off against Luton Town in October for picking up two yellow cards, out of action once again several games later, against Aston Villa, after amassing five yellow cards, and stupidly lunging recklessly and seeing red against Nottingham Forest in December.
It’s no wonder that Spurs writer, Mitch Fretton lambasted his recent attempts, saying: “Bissouma cannot start another game for us this season, he does absolutely nothing.”
While this Spurs side is a work in progress, not yet one year into a new era, Bissouma’s regression has been alarming, with his current market value a reflection of his overall quality and consistency.
According to Football Transfers’ player valuation model, the £55k-per-week midfielder is only worth £11m right now, actually placing him below Oliver Skipp.
On that note, Skipp is another deep-lying midfielder in the Tottenham team, but he is not the answer to Postecoglou’s problems and must be sold this summer.
Why Spurs should cash in on Oliver Skipp
Currently, Skipp, aged 23, is valued at £16m by Football Transfers, and with many years and miles left in the tank, this is probably an accurate reflection of the Englishman’s current place in the many-layered footballing pyramid.
Skipp’s market value is sizeable given his bit-part role in Postecoglou’s team, and there is every chance that this will diminish over the coming months and years, should he fail to cement a regular starting spot in the side.
And, in all probability, this won’t happen, despite the 5 foot 9 ace ranking among the top 12% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion.
This season, Skipp has featured 20 times for Tottenham in all competitions but has earned just three starts in the Premier League.
As per Sofascore, he’s averaging just 0.4 key passes, 2.0 ball recoveries and 1.6 successful duels per game, hardly speaking of robustness and high-level energy that slots into Postecoglou’s style of play.
The “future captain,” as he was once dubbed by sports broadcaster Abbi Grace Summers, is a crisp passer and a staunch supporter of the Tottenham cause, but he’s simply failing to stamp his authority at the club and chairman Daniel Levy would be wise to cash in while he can still fetch a pretty penny.
With Spurs hoping to make continual improvements, it’s hardly surprising that Football Insider recently reported that a host of players are facing a summer departure from north London, but Skipp does not appear to be on that list.
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Ange appears to be eager to bolster his team with some added firepower.
One of the most likely to leave, however, is winger Bryan Gill, also aged 23, who has been deemed surplus to requirements and will be actively pushed toward a summer sale after featuring only 11 times this season.
Cashing in on players such as Gil and Skipp would signal a statement of intent from Postecoglou and ensure that Tottenham make ruthless improvements as they head toward a place at the forefront of the Premier League.
