Manchester United’s supporters must get behind Louis van Gaal despite the club’s embarrassing Capital One Cup loss to the MK Dons, according to Lee Sharpe.
The Red Devils slipped to a 4-0 loss at the hands of the League One side last night, with a second string XI which still included international players such as Danny Welbeck, Javier Hernandez and Shinji Kagawa.
Despite enjoying a fine pre-season, Van Gaal’s opening three competitive games are yet to garner a single victory, with a home loss to Swansea and a disappointing 1-1 draw at the Stadium of Light against Sunderland ramping up the pressure early into his tenure.
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However Sharpe – who starred for United between 1988 – 1996 – believes that the experienced former Bayern Munich and Barcelona coach needs time to get his methods across and the that he will be a success:
“It was a bad night obviously [against MK Dons] but in the bigger picture it’s not too bad,” he told talkSPORT.
“It is going to take time. We had Alex Ferguson leaving, then David Moyes coming in and trying to play the way he does, and now Van Gaal.
“He has only been there five or six weeks so it’s too early to judge him. A little bit of patience is needed. It is a long-term approach for Van Gaal and I think you have got to trust him.
“He is the right man for the job. He is a strong character, he is not intimidated by big-name players, big signings, the size of the club and the task of the job at hand. I don’t think he is intimated at all, I think he quite enjoys it.
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“It is just going to take a bit of time to get the team he wants and get them to play the way he wants them to play and to produce the standards he sets.
“I don’ think they are a million miles away. They have just not started as everybody thought they would do.”
Many West Ham fans were happy to see the back of Mohamed Diame when he signed for Hull City – but after his fine start for Hull, was Diame’s disappointing time at West Ham solely down to being played out of position?
Mohamed was desperate to force a move away from West Ham to a bigger club seemingly ever since joining the East London side. However, in the end the only team that was willing to take Diame away from Upton Park was Hull City. Diame was far from a fan favourite at West Ham despite some tremendous performances. On his day, Diame was simply unstoppable – sadly these days were few and far between.
That being said, his performances towards the latter stage of his time with The Hammers were arguably down to him being played out of position by Sam Allardyce – or at least that is what the Senegalese international claimed just moments after shutting the The Boleyn Ground’s back door. There is no doubting that Big Sam was not willing to play Diame in his favoured central position, and that was certainly where Mohamed had most of his good performances for The Hammers.
He was largely used out wide during his final full season in London and that was mainly due to Big Sam not having the trust in ‘Momo’ to retain possession as well as other central midfielders would do. His best attribute is probably his dribbling, as when he’s motoring along he’s very difficult to stop. He’s similar to Yaya Toure in that regard except his shooting is a long way off ideal.
It was not surprising when Diame netted against his former club on his Hull City debut and it’s equally as unsurprising that the 27-year-old has managed to recoup his scoring touch at Hull. In his final season with West Ham he started 29 of the possible 38 Premier League games, and yet only managed to net 4 goals. I say ‘only’ because he has a high tendency to shot on sight and although most go high and wide, of course a few go in. It’s also ‘only’ 4 as he has already reached that tally and he’s only made 6 appearances for The Tigers. Quite an astounding start for the Senegal international.
Does that therefore prove Big Sam wrong? If perhaps The Hammers manager had chosen to play Diame in his favoured central role he may well have got more out of the player and bagged more goals for the club. That all sounds very plausible however West Ham fans will tell you, for every goal he scores he’s missed 10 good opportunities for the team.
‘Momo’ is not a bad player by any means but he can be very selfish. If his form for Hull is anything to go by, there’s no doubt that he would have scored more if he was giving a shot more centrally, however how many times he would have given the ball away and how many times he would have wasted a good opportunity is not so clear.
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Whether his goalscoring would have outweighed the negatives of his play is unknown – but at the end of the day, Hull are happy to have him and West Ham are flying without him.
It’s safe to say that Newcastle United have endured a very difficult start to the Premier League season. Once more, the Geordie fans have openly protested against manager Alan Pardew in their attempt to remove the former Southampton boss from the St. James Park dugout. Owner Mike Ashley has not been spared from criticism either – and offering Pardew an eight year contract in 2010 looks like being one of the worst decisions he has ever made. Sacking the former Charlton Athletic gaffer would give Pardew a hefty pay-off, and the last thing Ashley wants to do is reward his under-performing manager.
This is the exact reason why the under fire chief is still the main man at Newcastle. Things could be looking up for the former West Ham boss, claiming their first win of the season at home to Leicester City at the weekend. Despite sitting in the relegation zone, Pardew’s men have only lost three games from eight matches, the same amount as the likes of West Ham, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton. The problem is too many draws, with local rivals Sunderland the only team to have drawn more games than the Tynesiders, with the Black cats one place above them in the table.
The style of play Pardew plays has also angered the fans. One word to describe it is predictable. A simple 4-4-2 formation is the system used to get the ball up to the forwards as quickly as possible. This can sometimes work, if the two strikers are top quality and are willing to work hard. Despite finishing as the top scorer for French side AS Monaco, Emmanuel Riviere has failed to deliver the goods since his £6m move to England in the summer.
Currently, the Magpies have the third worst tackles per game rate in the Premier League and the fourth worst in terms of shots on target per game. This just shows that Pardew has a struggle on his hands at both ends of the pitch. Defensively, they have been surprisingly poor and it’s hard to see why they have leaked goals due to the amount of experience Newcastle have to call upon. With Steven Taylor and Fabricio Coloccini the first choice centre back pairing having played a combined total of 395 games in the famous black and white of Newcastle, it’s hard to see why questions are being asked at the backline. Daryl Janmaat, who had an impressive World Cup campaign with Holland, is another who could be plying his trade at a bigger club, and has made a decent start to his Newcastle career as Mathieu Debuchy’s replacement. But this hasn’t stopped the goals flooding in at the wrong end.
Many have put most of the blame on Alan Pardew, with only some laying the responsibility for Newcastle’s poor start to the 2014/2015 campaign on the players. In all fairness, it’s been a combination of the two. In many games, especially the 4-0 loss away at Southampton, Pardew’s tactics have been laughable, while on the other hand, the players have failed to perform to the levels they should.
So, despite results and performance slightly improving in the last two games, is Pardew’s job still in jeopardy? Yes is the answer.
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It was the day Liverpool fans hoped would never come, but now it has finally arrived. After some rather suspect contract negotiations, Reds skipper Steven Gerrard revealed earlier this week that he plans to leave Anfield, after seventeen years, at the end of the current Premier League season.
Liverpool’s captain fantastic will be sorely missed but there’s little time for such emotive tributes – the Merseysiders are now running against the clock to find a successor to their decade-spanning talisman midfielder.
Of course, the issue can be delayed until the summer but for the sake of a smooth transition, perhaps it would be best for Liverpool to secure Gerrard’s successor this January.
So with that in mind, here’s SIX such midfielders Liverpool could realistically sign before the end of the month.
YOHAN CABAYE
PSG playmaker Yohan Cabaye may not be blessed with the robust dynamism of Steven Gerrard’s younger years, but he does share many traits with Liverpool’s talismanic captain – particularly, a blend of industriousness and cultured passing, in addition to a world-renowned potency from dead ball situations.
The 28 year-old is well proven in the Premier League too, having amassed 18 goals and 15 assists in 93 appearances for Newcastle before leaving for Parc de Princes last January. The £20million signing has since struggled to break into the PSG first team however and is now reportedly prepared to move on.
The France international should be within Liverpool’s financial reach but recent speculation has linked him more consistently with a move to Arsenal.
ILKAY GUNDOGAN
German international Ilkay Gundogan emerged as one of the most promising central midfielders in world football during the 2012/13 campaign, earning a spot in the illustrious ESM Team of the Season for his intrinsic role in Borussia Dortmund’s surprise march to the Champions League final.
He’s endured a rather harrowing time since, missing almost the entirety of last season (and the World Cup) through a back injury and now finding himself in a shock relegation battle, with the Black Yellows currently joint-bottom of the Bundesliga table.
The 24 year-old’s enormous potential is hard to ignore however, and his energetic, lucid and mobile brand of playmaking, filled with one-twos and short, incisive dribbles, would particularly suit Liverpool’s style of play going forward.
It’s still a bit of a risk however, considering Gundogan’s recent injury problems, and although he’d likely be willing to jump ship from Westfalen this January, the promising midfielder extended his contract by an extra year in April 2014, so Dortmund are under no immediate obligation to sell.
DANIEL PAREJO
Liverpool have been linked with Valencia star Daniel Parejo on countless occasions before, so what better excuse than Steven Gerrard’s end-of-season departure to invest sizable funds in their long-term target?
The 25 year-old is rather wiry and slight compared to your average Premier League midfielder, but he’s a fantastic technician with great vision and a consistent contribution in front of goal, claiming nine goals and ten assists in 62 appearances over the last two-and-a-half campaigns.
The current season has arguably been Parejo’s best yet for the Mestalla outfit, netting four in 14 and averaging 2.8 tackles, 1.1 successful dribbles and 1.3 shots per match whilst donning the captain’s armband on a permanent basis.
Resultantly however, and with Valencia just five points off La Liga leaders Real Madrid, Liverpool might struggle to convince the Spanish side to sell their skipper mid-season.
Miralem Pjanic
Another name Liverpool fans will know well, Roma playmaker Miralem Pjanic has been strongly linked with an Anfield switch before.
The Bosnian international demonstrated enormous potential at former club Lyon and is now realising it at the Stadio Olympico, having played a pivotal role in the Roma side that recorded a runner-up finish in Serie A last season.
His output is impressive for a central midfielder, with twelve goals and 15 assists in his last 77 league appearances, but it’s the 24 year-old’s intelligence on the ball and ability to consistently create chances, boasting 56 already this term (Gerrard has made 41, in comparison) that particularly stands out as his defining attribute.
Pjanic has been on the verge of the world elite for some time and moving to the Premier League could make that a reality. The 5 foot 11 midfielder penned extended terms during the summer however, protecting his value, and Roma remain unlikely to sell whilst they also stand to lose central midfield partner Kevin Strootman, a known target of Manchester United and Chelsea.
MORGAN SCHNEIDERLIN
Tough-tackling Southampton star Morgan Schneiderlin may not be an exact Steven Gerrard reincarnate, but the Frenchman is a well-rounded, highly-talented midfielder that looks ready to ply his trade at a higher level.
Indeed, the 25 year-old currently ranks fifth in the Premier League’s tackle charts this term, with an impressive 3.5 per match, and also boasts dependency on the ball through his pass completion rate of 89%.
He’s more water-carrier than playmaking visionary, but Schneiderlin chips in with the odd goal too, with eight since his Premier League arrival two-and-a-half-years ago, including a return of three in 14 this season.
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Combine that with an athletic and aerially effective 6 foot 2 frame, and Schneiderlin would bring a new sense of solidity to Liverpool’s engine room.
Although there have been rumours that Schneiderlin could leave this January after attempting to force a move during the summer, he’s recently insisted plans to stay with the Saints until at least the end of the season.
That doesn’t mean he’s completely out of Liverpool’s reach, but will likely add a few extra million to his transfer fee.
FABIAN DELPH
This list felt somewhat macabre without the inclusion of a single home-grown player, so representing the England massive is Aston Villa star Fabian Delph.
There will be understandable disputes over the 25 year-old’s quality when compared to Liverpool’s veteran skipper but there’s also some similarities – particularly his blend of industry, dynamism and flair going forward, epitomised by his memorable goal against Chelsea last season, shown above.
It’s been a fantastic 2014 for the tenacious midfielder too, winning the Villain of the Year award at the end of last season and more recently a spot in Roy Hodgson’s England squad, with three caps since his September debut.
Furthermore, Delph’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season and with extended terms becoming increasingly unlikely, it appears Villa will be forced to sell in January. That makes the Three Lions starlet the cheapest and most viable option on this list by quite some distance.
Liverpool’s 19-year-old teenage sensation Jordan Ibe, burst onto the scene on Saturday night with a tremendous performance in the Merseyside Derby. Many people would agree that he was the best player on the pitch, nearly scoring a sensational goal after a 60 yard dash. Considering it was a big derby match, the kind of which Ibe wouldn’t have experienced before, he didn’t let the pressure get to him and played his natural game quite brilliantly.
Playing as right wingback, Ibe showed his defensive qualities by tracking back when needed, and put in a high energy shift where he never stopped running. At just 19, Ibe could very well emulate Raheem Sterling and become the next Premier League star to emerge at Anfield.
Ibe started his career at Wycombe Wanderers and made his debut at just 15 years of age against Colchester in the League Cup. Shortly after he became Wycombe’s youngest ever Football League player, and before long, their youngest ever goalscorer too.
Liverpool quickly snapped him up but, Ibe had to wait until the 2013/14 before getting regular football on loan at Birmingham. He made 11 appearences at St. Andrew’s, scoring once during his spell at the club. However, it was Ibe’s loan move to Derby when he really started to emerge as a future star.
Scoring five times in 20 outings, Ibe was an outstanding performer for the club and played a big role in their promotion chasing exploits. Playing predominately on the left wing, Ibe used his extreme pace and trickery to make Championship defenders’ lives a misery for five or so months.
In terms of his international career, Ibe has made his way through England’s youth ranks being capped at the under 18, 19 and now the under 20 levels. With the under 21 European Championships taking place in the summer, it wouldn’t be a bad decision to have Ibe in the squad as he seemingly has a lot to offer already.
A player with great acceleration and pace, Jordan Ibe has what it takes to become a star in English football. A winger who can play on either flank and loves to cut inside, Ibe also boasts a keen eye for goal. Whilst his finishing abilities will improve, he has fantastic creative and technical attributes that can see him go far for Liverpool in the Premier League.
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Willing to help out with defending when needed, this is a great sign as many youngsters of today focus more on attacking rather than put the hard yards in tracking back. At such a young age, there is obviously areas in which can be improved on. But with all the talent and ability, if he can continue to put in performances as in the Merseyside Derby, then it is hard not to see a future great player for Liverpool.
Louis Van Gaal’s first season as Manchester United boss has taken some time to get going.
Having struggled to work out his most effective formation – using 32 players in that experimentation process – it looks as if the Dutchman has finally found a formula that works.
There have been times throughout the season when Juan Mata’s Old Trafford future didn’t look too promising. But the last few weeks have given the Spaniard some hope, as well as the Old Trafford faithful who have been wondering whether their £37.1million man would ever be given the real chance to prove his worth.
But the Guardian have recently published the stats to prove Juan Mata does indeed deserve a more regular slot in Van Gaal’s starting XI. In fact, his stats are so impressive they really do need to be shown to the Dutch boss if he hasn’t already seen them.
For Mata boasts the sixth best passing accuracy in the Premier League this season (89.65%). It’s not the best, of course, but when you consider passing accuracy also ranks defenders and defensive midfielders who often pass sideways and under limited pressure, the inclusion of an attacking midfielder like Mata really does stand out.
To put that in to more context, of the top ten players with the highest pass accuracy, seven are defensively minded, while you’d argue Manchester United’s Antonio Valencia could also be put in the bracket given his role as a wing back for much of the season.
So that leaves United’s Mata and Manchester City’s Samir Nasri as the most effective attacking midfielders in the Premier League – by a country mile, too.
Furthermore, Mata’s shot conversion rate is 38.89% (joint best in the league with Stoke’s Jonathan Walters), which further backs up the suggestion that Mata has been one of United’s best performers so far this term.
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So Van Gaal really should use the former Chelsea star to his advantage and squeeze more of his creative juices out of him on the pitch, particularly if they are to continue their late surge for a top four finish…
Sir Alex Ferguson paid £16.5 million for a nineteen year old with bad highlights back in 2011. Since joining Manchester United, Phil Jones has not been seen as a key defender by the fans.
One thing that is constantly criticised in United’s squad is their seemingly ‘poor’ defence in the Premier League and Jones has to share the blame for this.
But after years of ‘potential’ is he finally starting to come good for United?
As with almost ever other Manchester United player this season, Phil Jones has had his fair share of injury problems. This in turn lead to make shift sides being put out due to the lack of options available.
With Jonny Evans still out from the ban he received for allegedly spitting on Papiss Cisse, Jones has filled in his place better than Evans had. As with the whole side, Jones has played remarkably since the introduction of the 4-3-3 used in the demolition of Tottenham Hotspur.
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Since the Spurs game, Jones has not really put a foot wrong. There have been a few errors, but no real consequence has arisen from it. As a pairing, Jones and Smalling have worked remarkably well together. If they can make Harry Kane – the boy wonder – look average, then they must be doing something right.
Even Michael Carrick has spoken of the progress Phil Jones has made, as well as Chris Smalling’s. Carrick believes the two are on their way to becoming great centre halves. When United have needed it, the two have stepped up to the plate.
Sir Alex massively praised Phil Jones, claiming he will end up to be one of the best players Manchester United will have, but not many could see the value of the defender. But now he seems to be worth his weight.
Jones still is only 23-years-old so he should still be getting better as a player. A solid defence is what Manchester United need, and as the season has progressed, it has strengthened.
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In the last few weeks of the season, Phil Jones needs to keep his standards as high as they have been. He has earned his place in the starting eleven and it would be a shame were he to be dropped before the end of the season.
He could just be one of United’s next great defenders.
Summer on the south coast was pretty dreary to be honest. That’s if you’re a Southampton fan, anyway.
The mass exodus was accompanied with derision and laughter from the footballing world – THAT tweet from Ronald Koeman depicting an empty training ground – and despair from Southampton fans who were gearing up for a season towards the bottom of the table.
That was until they saw who Koeman brought in with the money accrued from the sale of some of their best players.
That was when Saints fans knew they could do alright this season and even build on the progress they made under Pochettino.
What they probably couldn’t have foreseen though, is just how much progress they would make. Now they’re in a straight fight with their old manager for a Europa League spot, so the Saints are doing very well indeed. So much so that they’re perhaps in danger of losing some of their best players again this summer.
But let’s assume for a second that they don’t lose the players and they do finish in a Europa League spot for next season.
There is still some confusion over the qualification for Europe, so let’s clear that up first.
Because Chelsea won the FA Cup, 6th place will definitely enter the Europa League along with 5th place this season. At the moment, that’s Spurs and Liverpool. Of course, that could still be Southampton too.
But if Arsenal win the FA Cup, the final place for the Europa League will not go to the beaten finalists. Arsenal will qualify for the Champions League, so their place will go to 7th place in the league. Which is Southampton. So it may not matter if they’re in a fight with Spurs or not, they might just get it anyway.
One word of caution though – Arsenal may win the FA Cup as expected and 7th place may qualify for Europe, but with three games to go, Swansea are only four points behind Saints. No one has been talking about Garry Monk’s men, and they might just sneak up on the blindside. Stranger things have happened.
Whatever happens though, it’s been a great season for Southampton. But qualification for Europe might be detrimental to them in the longer term. Having to play Thursday – Saturday and travel to exotic destinations seems to take it right out of the teams playing in the Europa League, and Southampton would be no different.
In fact, if they were to lose Victor Wanyama and Morgan Schneiderlin, or Nathaniel Clyne and Fraser Forster in the summer Southampton’s squad would be even lighter than it is now. And that’s certainly a worry if they do qualify.
The very act of having a good season means your players are sought after. If you’re a club like Southampton, more powerful clubs may come calling. And qualifying for the Europa League would certainly be considered a good season.
So if Saints do qualify for Europe, this summer is going to be just as big as last summer. If they manage to keep a hold of their players, they’ll still need to supplement their squad with more talent to make sure that their league form doesn’t suffer next season. European qualification can be a good thing, but it’s only good if it’s in the context of progress. If Southampton qualify and then they fall away in the league next season, the progress could stop very quickly.
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And if they do qualify and they have a summer similar to last time, then Koeman will need to do more than just supplement his squad. He’ll have to replace what he has lost and then add to it.
Even if they don’t qualify for Europe, Southampton will do well to hold onto those players. Without the draw of Europe to keep them at St Mary’s, they might look to bigger teams.
So whatever happens, this summer will be huge for Koeman and Southampton. But that’s the price you pay for success. Wherever they finish, and whatever the reward, the feelgood factor is back at St Mary’s, and European football would only enhance that.
Chelsea star Petr Cech is set to leave the club this summer and has opened talks with Besiktas over a potential move, according to reports from ESPN.
Cech has been made to play second-fiddle at Stamford Bridge following the return of Thibaut Courtois from Altetico Madrid last summer, which has seen him only play six Premier League games this season.
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The 32-year-old’s situation has therefore alerted many interested clubs, with Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, and even Real Madrid all keen on his services.
However, Blues manager Jose Mourinho has claimed that he wants the Czech Republic captain to stay, and is extremely reluctant to let him join a rival club, even one in the Champions League.
Mourinho said: “One thing is Jose Mourinho and another is Mr Abramovich and another thing is the board because the board includes a little bit of me, a little bit of other people.
“But if it was me, if it was my decision, my decision is Petr to stay. After that, second point to go but not in England. The option I don’t want is for him to go to an English club.
“But, I repeat, I am just the manager and he means so much for this club and what he did in this club I think he deserves everything from this club.
“If the club decision is different to mine, I will accept with all the respect.”
Turkish club Besiktas have therefore become front-runners for his signature, with the two clubs previously doing business in regards to the transfer of Demba Ba.
“I have been in contact with Besiktas — we are in talks,” Cech’s agent Viktor Kolar said. “Turkey is a choice for Cech, but we will decide when the league is over.”
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Cech has been Chelsea’s number-one ever since his move from Rennes back in the summer of 2004, winning four league titles.
Since the sale of Gareth Bale two summers ago, Tottenham have experienced first hand just how punishing getting it wrong in the transfer market can be.
With a world record transfer fee to splurge, the likes of Paulinho, Erik Lamela and Roberto Soldado were brought to White Hart Lane – all international players and arriving with burgeoning reputations.
However, fast forward 24 months and one has been sold to a Chinese club after flopping, while the other two are practically unsellable due to the extortionate fees that Spurs dished out for them in the first place.
As such, Mauricio Pochettino has seemingly continued where Tim Sherwood left off; by giving some of the North London club’s brightest youth players a chance to shine.
So far it has certainly paid off, with Harry Kane showing that he has all the attributes to be a world-beater and having a terrific influence on the club last season.
Both Ryan Mason and Nabil Bentaleb shone in the heart of the pitch, with potential for a long-term central midfield pairing for years to come.
Looking at the next wave of Spurs youngsters, there is clearly more talent that seems ready for Premier League action, with the signs being that Pochettino is ready to blood more of the club’s best starlets.
The sales of Paulinho, Etienne Capoue and now Benjamin Stambouli take three central midfielders out of the Argentine’s squad, while Mousa Dembele’s future at White Hart Lane is also a point of contention.
However, one young central midfielder that looks set to benefit as a result of the exodus in his position is Dele Alli.
The promising former MK Dons star is still only 19, but has proven that he has all the physical attributes to play senior football over the last number of seasons in the Football League.
This all-action, goalscoring midfielder is seen as one of England’s brightest young homegrown talents, with the Spurs man featuring for the national under-19’s side.
Although the step up to playing in the Premier League for someone so young will take time, the signs are there that Alli could well get his chance.
After Mason, Bentaleb and Dembele, Spurs have no other recognised central midfielder apart from Alli and fellow young star Tom Carroll. Both could have a part to play in 2015-16.
Further forward, the right side of Pochettino’s attack has been an area of concern, with neither Andros Townsend nor Lamela proving consistent enough to call the position their own.
This surely should be an area that the Londoners are looking to strengthen this summer, but a telling reason that they are not could well be the return of Alex Pritchard.
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The homegrown star had a fantastic campaign on loan at Brentford last season and has been starring for England under-21’s.
A live-wire with pace to burn, trickery and an eye for goal, Pritchard’s inclusion will surely freshen Pochettino’s options up and add another young star to the first-team reckoning.
Although buying big-name players can still pay dividends for a team with top-four ambitions like Tottenham, the policy of promoting youth seems to be one that they are set to continue with.