- Kulusevski boosts Spurs’ success
- Postecoglou’s autonomy enhances performance
- Positive shift in Spurs’ style
On Sunday evening, Manchester City should have been eliminated by halftime in their match against Tottenham. At halftime, the defending champions held a 2-1 advantage, but they failed to capitalize on several advantageous circumstances. Jérémy Doku and Julián Álvarez both failed to capitalize on opportunities, while Erling Haaland squandered two significant ones. City was ultimately made to lament their inability to establish a decisive outcome in the contest.
Giovani Lo Celso equalized the score at 2-2 in the middle of the second half, and Dejan Kulusevski headed home City’s point-earning goal in the 82nd minute after Jack Grealish had reinstated the visitors’ lead. Since he arrived at the Etihad, the 23-year-old has scored in each of his previous two visits. Spurs’ social media post featuring his late equalizer was appropriately titled “The Dekihad.”
Kulusevski’s Impact
During Ange Postecoglou’s sensational debut with the club, several players have received special recognition; however, Son Heung-min, James Maddison, and Destiny Udogie have received the majority of the attention. Despite remaining somewhat unnoticed, Kulusevski has flourished since the appointment of the new manager. “I adore the game plan,” Kulusevski remarked following Sunday’s thrilling 3-3 stalemate. It is not difficult to comprehend his immense happiness.
Kulusevski has been instrumental in Spurs’ meteoric start to the current season, following a problematic campaign marked by multiple injuries and three managers who tended to restrict the team’s attacking players. Kulusevski was forced to play under such restrictive conditions last season. Notwithstanding its recent decline in performance, the group is currently positioned fifth in the standings, three points separating it from the top four.
Attacking Prowess
Additionally, they are engaging in visually appealing football. With the departure of Harry Kane to Bayern Munich, the most prolific striker in Spurs’ history was lost. However, they are scoring two goals per game in the league this season, which is more than they did with Kane last season. In addition to increasing their shot count (although Kane led the league in shots taken last season with 105), they are generating a substantial number of passes, an additional 95 per game.
Under Postecoglou, Spurs are increasing their risk-taking, and Kulusevski concurs. “His mentality is exactly how I wish to live my life,” he stated on Sunday. “I adore it.” “It is irrelevant what you are doing in life or who you are competing against; simply go. Furthermore, it screws up if it does. You performed the action from the depths of your spirit. You have no fear. Your objective is to secure victory in the game, not to suffer a loss.”
Kulusevski’s Versatility
Son scored on Sunday with an unexpected assist from Kulusevski, which marked his debut in the Premier League this year. His lack of assists is more indicative of the carelessness of his teammates than of his ingenuity. This season, Kulusevski (28) has produced fewer crucial passes from open play than Mohamed Salah (33) in the league.
Maddison has established five goals for his new club so far this season, serving as the principal creator for Spurs. On Sunday, in Maddison’s absence due to injury, Kulusevski filled in. Spurs supporters will testify that this is arguably his finest performance since joining the club in January 2022. This season, Kulusevski has completed 24 dribbles, the most of any Spurs player. “I am the real me at this moment,” he declared on Sunday.
In contrast to last season’s regimented and reactive game plan, Postecoglou has granted his squad greater autonomy. This season, their current Premier League rankings are third in shots per game (15.6), third in key passes per game (12.1) and third in successful dribbles per game (10.4). Last season, they finished seventh in terms of attempts, seventh in terms of key passes, and twelfth in terms of successful dribbles.
Kulusevski’s Defensive Prowess
The performance of Kulusevski, both with and without the ball, renders him the ideal winger for Postecoglou. With 88 possessions won in the attacking third, Spurs are ranked fourth in the Premier League this season. With eleven possession recoveries in the final third, Kulusevski is second only to Son (13) and Pape Matar Sarr (12) in terms of frequency. Twenty tackles are the fifth-highest total in the squad, and the four players with more tackles are all more defensive: Pedro Porro, Yves Bissouma, Udogie, and Cristian Romero.
Few do a better job than Kulusevski of defending from the front and harassing opponents to force turnovers in hazardous areas of the field. He wholeheartedly embraces the Postecoglou philosophy, he declared on Sunday. He stated, “We have everything at Tottenham.” “A football is present.” An instructor is present. “With a little bit of mental development, we will be at the pinnacle.”
Spurs have once again achieved a positive state of affairs, as both the players and the supporters have embraced his exuberant playing style and demeanor off the pitch. Kulusevski best exemplifies this.
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