Tottenham Hotspur returned to winning ways last night as James Maddison returned to the starting eleven to inspire the Lilywhites to a five-star win over Southampton.
Ange Postecoglou & Co. went into the fixture with massive pressure with their failure to win in the past five games, and the Australian head coach made a punter on starting Djed Spence in the right back role as the Ange aimed for more defensive stability following recent criticisms surrounding the defensive aspects of the game.
Maddison speaks on Spence’s impressive game
Spence is playing to rejuvenate his career at White Hart Lane, from what was nearly an exit in the summer window to finding a way to impress the former Celtic coach in the preseason and now finding his way into the starting lineup in the Premier League—the 24-year-old has come a long way. And James Maddison praised his teammate for his patience as well as for that pass, which led to the Englishman putting Tottenham up in the first minute.
Speaking in the postgame interview with TNT Sports (via BBC), Maddison said:
“He’s been patient, and he’s a great lad. He is a laid-back character, and I don’t think he needed too much of a pep talk. But I told him before the game to go out and do what he does best. It was a great pass from him, and big credit to Djed for that.”
Players like Spence and stories like Spence’s make this team, and if he goes on to build on this confidence and put in similar performances, then Pedro Porro has to look over his shoulders, as the former Middlesbrough man could soon vie for his position.
Moreover, these words from Maddison are ones that echo leadership and the influence that he has in the dressing room despite being reduced to a bench role for the majority of the campaign.
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What did you make of Spence’s performance? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
