Tottenham Hotspur coach Cristian Stellini drops Djed Spence selection hint for Nottingham Forest tie
Tottenham Hotspur right-back Djed Spence could feature against his former club Nottingham Forest later this week. The English right-back arrived at Spurs from Middlesbrough this summer.
However, he has been constantly overlooked since his inclusion in manager Antonio Conte’s first-team set-up. His debut for the club came as a last-minute substitute against the Tricky Trees in a 4-1 Premier League win for us.
And now, assistant manager Christian Stellini has hinted that Spence is a player who is “ready” to play in this league cup match. Speaking at his pre-match press conference, the Italian coach said (h/t Football.London):
“For our young players, every game is the game to trust in him. If we think the EFL Cup is important, we need the players who are ready. Djed Spence is one of those for sure, he’s working hard. Not every player is the same. They need time.”
It’s no secret that there is a gap in quality between the Championship and the Premier League, which is why it wouldn’t have been easy for Spence to adjust to this level straight away.
Spence vs Forest?
He was on loan at Nottingham Forest last season and played a big role in their promotion to the top flight. The young English full-back would have an idea about how his previous club set up on the pitch and play amongst other things.
In that regard, this could be the perfect time for Conte to show some trust in the young guy. Otherwise, it would be very demotivating for him to not even get some meaningful action in the Carabao Cup against an opposition that isn’t one of the strongest teams in England on paper.
Spurs have continuously trusted Emerson Royal and Matt Doherty down that flank this campaign. The two haven’t been the very best in their position but have put in decent shifts.
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One would like to think that a Carabao Cup game against his old team will be the ideal time for Spence to make his first start for the Lilywhites. However, it remains to be seen if Conte is on board with that idea.
