Wilson Odobert made his first Tottenham Hotspur start on Wednesday against Manchester City since September
Tottenham Hotspur’s three-game winning run in the Premier League came to an end on Wednesday night following a 1-0 defeat to Manchester City at home.
After a tepid first-half which Man City completely dominated and deservedly took the lead via Erling Haaland, Spurs showed intent and energy in the second half that caused problems for the visitors. They forced Ederson into making some fine saves and had the hosts have been a little bit clinical in front of goal, the Lilywhites could’ve walked out of the game with at least a point.
Following the return of some key players of late, Ange Postecoglou decided to freshen things up against Man City. He handed Wilson Odobert his first Tottenham start since November, with the 20-year-old replacing skipper Son Heung-min on the left in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Having only returned from a lengthy injury layoff that led to him missing 27 games, the Frenchman understandably looked a bit rusty at the start and was part of a young front three alongside Mathys Tel and Brennan Johnson that offered next to nothing in terms of threat in the final third against City.
Wilson Odobert grew into the game after halftime and went close to an equaliser. Once he got some confidence, the winger caused a few problems for City’s defence with his directness, speed and unpredictability. He was taken off in the 67th minute after an energetic shift.
After the game, Ange Postecoglou was asked about Odobert’s first start since September in the presser. The Australian tactician praised the young wide-man’s performance, stating the player would help Tottenham finish the season strongly with more game time and match sharpness.
“I thought he was great. It was important tonight that him, Destiny and Brennan got some minutes. Again, it’s one thing to get guys back from injury but we have got to get them up to speed as quick as we possibly can,” Postecoglou told Football London.
“You could see Wilson hasn’t played for a while but you could also see the quality that he has. I think he grew into the game in the second half. I thought he was a big catalyst at the beginning of the second half when he was running at the opposition. He is an exciting player and if we can manage him through this period and get him to a really decent level of fitness, I’m sure he will help us finish the season strong.”
Odobert’s development has been stunted at White Hart Lane by a hamstring injury which required surgery in November. Thus, it was just his third Premier League start in a Spurs shirt on Wednesday and he looked like the only one capable of creating something in the final third.
Spurs fans have barely seen the French youth international and are still figuring out what he offers. When he is fully fit, match sharp and has forged an understanding with his teammates, Odobert’s directness and flair will be a potent weapon for Big Ange’s side.
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Plus, having the Meaux-born talent back from injury is that it allows Son Heung-min to take a breather, with the South Korean having struggled to influence games as much as expected of him during this season. Let’s hope Odobert stays healthy, gets back his mojo and helps Big Ange’s Tottenham finish the season on a high.
