TTLB Opinion: Is Milan Skriniar the perfect short term defensive solution for Tottenham?

Tottenham Hotspur have been looking to bring in a new defender in the upcoming summer transfer window, and the North Londoners’ push to bring in a new centre-back has been compounded given how the North Londoners’ star ace Cristian Romero has been linked with a move away from N17 in the off-season, and this has led Daniel Levy to explore options with former Inter Milan defender Milan Škriniar being considered.

Now in Skriniar the North Londoners would be getting rather an experienced player who is physically dominant and possesses that elite defensive awareness. He also brings that aerial presence complemented by his experience of vocally keeping high-pressure back lines in check. So in a squad where the North Londoners would be without Cristian Romero, they can get a low-risk and high-experience anchor in Skriniar, who can fill in for the Argentine international. That being said, it is also important to remember that his ageing will bring that declining mobility, with the 30-year-old having some difficult spells on the sidelines complemented by his declining ability to feature in a high line system.

Now if we are to consider him as an option, he would be an ideal short-term solution (maybe a couple of seasons) if the North Londoners are ready to adjust their defensive structure to accommodate his declining abilities.

Let’s look at his basic attributes before we see (and figure) where Skriniar will fit in at Tottenham

Given his aerial abilities, he will be ideal against teams that rely heavily on set-piece situations. He is still strong when it comes to 1v1 direct duel defending and excels in organising the back line given his experience and intelligence with respect to his own positioning. As stated above, he has gone a half bit slower and can be easily exposed in high lines these days.

When it comes to his abilities with the ball, he is not a channel passer; he is more likely to look for a composed option with horizontal passes than to be adventurous when he gets the ball at his feet.

How does he integrate into this high press high line system that the Lilywhites have deployed under Ange?

Ange plays in more of a 2-3-5 system with the ball where the full-backs provide width to the final third. Centre-backs are tasked with isolating into wide channels if any potential threat were to arise from the flanks. Herein, Skriniar would be exposed, given how it is not ideal to isolate him against pacey wingers. So he would end up struggling when wingers are high (even with the ball given his instinct to look for horizontal passes over vertical balls).

The only way his integration into this Lilywhites side makes sense is to switch to a deeper line against strong counter-attacking opponents and play him alongside Van de Ven so that the Dutchman can cover wide and recover when Skriniar fails to.

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Author Opinion

If Levy is looking for someone who can come in and marshal the troops at N17 for the short term, then Tottenham should definitely be looking to get him through the doors at Hotspur Way. Given that he also brings that defensive clarity and positional maturity. This is a psychological toughness that Ange really needs to instil in his side, so who better than someone that has played at the highest level in the meanest of defences?