Unpopular Opinion: Ange should start Spence over Porro against Bodo/Glimt

Tottenham Hotspur are all set for the UEFA Europa League semi-finals, whose first leg is set to take place in the midweek when the Norwegian side visits North London, and when we talk about the game against Bodo/Glimt, there will be a lot of possible choices that Ange Postecoglou will have to think about, and one of those that will be crucial will be the right-back role given how both Pedro Porro and Djed Spence are very different players. It’s not just the attacking output; it is about starting the player that brings a tactical balance between stability at the back and managing transitions.

We all know that Pedro Porro will bring some final third flair with him, complemented by his progressive passes and holding the width in the attacking overloads. While with Spence, he brings more raw athleticism that would bring more defensive security, and he has that recovery pace which can be crucial, especially against counterattacks.

Given how Bodo likes to exploit wide spaces and how Tottenham will want to stay in control of the game, a section of Lilywhites supporters would back Djed Spence to start over Porro to bring that tactical stability, at least for the first hour or so, and then bring in the Man City graduate later if the hosts are chasing the game or are looking to extend the lead.

Why Spence should start against Bodo/Glimt

To start with, let’s talk about Bodo’s strengths; they like to operate out wide. They like to target those wide spaces quickly when they are trying to recover the ball by putting in an early pass to push attacks behind full-backs. And then if you play the former Middlesbrough ace, his recovery pace and natural athleticism will end up reducing the risk of the Lilywhites getting exposed behind the right-back zone.

And the Norwegian side are going to struggle defending the low crosses and second balls, but when you think about the physical output they will have to put into the game, they could end up being more vulnerable later in the game when the visitors midfield are running on tired legs. This is why Spurs can afford to be more conservative in the initial hour by starting Spence, who can hold the flank and then can end up introducing Porro later in the game when the Norwegian’s side have their wide players a bit exhausted, when Porro can come in and dominate higher up without being a defensive liability.

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Having Spence on the pitch from the get-go will also ensure that Tottenham can control the emotions of Bodo, who would want to get some early momentum and take charge of the tie. Bringing in the chaos of Porro should make more sense when Tottenham are chasing a goal or want to kill the game in the final 20–25 minutes.