TTLB Opinion: Is Manchester United outcast the right fit for Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham Hotspur?

The North Londoners have been looking to build on the roster’s quality when the summer transfer window comes around, and Daniel Levy has been pushing to bring in a high-end, ceiling-raising forward this offseason, with Manchester United academy graduate Marcus Rashford again making appearances in the rumour mill surrounding a move to N17.

We have seen how Ange Postecoglou’s side have struggled with clinicality in the offensive line along the ongoing campaign, and given how Rashford has rejuvenated his form with his current loan spell at Aston Villa, he could certainly be an interesting option for the Lilywhites.

What sort of forward is Ange looking for?

The England international is someone who is a high-speed and direct offensive threat whose game revolves around taking advantage of transitional situations (we have seen how Ange Postecoglou is always looking to catch the opposition in a way where he can create transition-esque situations, making Rashford a better fit at Tottenham). He likes to exploit spaces and drive with the ball with powerful runs. We have seen how Rashford uses individual moments of explosiveness to gain an advantage in games. But before we go into how the 27-year-old would fit in at Tottenham, let’s look at the basics of what Ange wants from his forwards:

The Australian head coach likes his offensive players to press from the get-go with positional intelligence, while he wants his front line to go a bit narrow, in turn making a 2-3-5 shape, giving width to the attacks. The wingers often rotate into central pockets to help with 2-3-5 buildup. Now he likes his midfielders and full-backs to combine in tight zones to create space for the attacking players. Wingers must interact with No. 8s and full-backs to progress the attacking sequences (rather than just running behind).

We can see that Rashford’s natural game is a bit out of line with the system that Ange Postecoglou has currently deployed at Tottenham, but to understand the whys behind this, we will have to take a look at where Rashy stands individually with his tactical profile:

Rashford and his tactical traits – does it suit Tottenham?

He is someone who has that rapid pace complemented by direct running, making him elite, especially when it comes to taking advantage of game moments. However, his link-up play ability is limited given how he is not suited to quick wall passes or tight triangles, and then when it comes to his pressing, he is not that intelligent and is a lot inconsistent (we have seen how the supporters at Old Trafford have consistently criticised the Englishman for this).

Then we come to his clinical performance in front of goal; he is apt at getting the ball into the net when playing centrally and is useful when he has that space to run into (counters in layman’s terms).

But given that he doesn’t have that tactical discipline, he wouldn’t align to Ange’s structure on the first play because of how the Englishman frequently vacates the zones early.

So where can his transfer go for Tottenham?

If we are thinking about where his services will work at Hotspur Way, he can play on that left flank in transition-based games against top six sides where the North Londoners can absorb pressure and counter (e.g., vs Man City or Arsenal). And he could also be an effective late-game sub given how he has that ability to stretch tired defences and carry the ball into vacated zones. You can possibly play him centrally and pair him with inverted wingers like Kulusevski and ask him to make channel runs.

But then when the Lilywhites are facing clubs who have deployed deep blocks, Rashford is going to have a tough time. His off-the-ball movements will stagnate. And if Ange wants a starter who brings pressing intensity every time the ball is in opponents’ first-phase sequence, Rashford is going to have a tough time.

More Tottenham Hotspur News:

• TTLB Opinion: Is Postecoglou the reason behind Maddison’s underwhelming season at Tottenham?
• TTLB Opinion: Tottenham target Branthwaite and Guehi – but who makes more sense?
• TTLB Opinion: Should Tottenham be worried about Van de Ven to Real Madrid or is it all agent talks?

Author Opinion

You need to remember that Rashford is not a structure carrier but more of a structure disruptor, and he is going to excel in chaotic phases and not in coordinated team movements. While he may succeed in a counter-based team, Spurs should rather look to bring in someone who aligns more with the project that the club has deployed with the Australian head coach.