Is Real Madrid academy graduate the ideal player to replace Cristian Romero at Tottenham Hotspur? – Opinion

There is an expected defensive rebuild at Tottenham in the ongoing summer transfer window, particularly knowing how Thomas Frank has a high preference to play with commendable defensive structure in the mid-block framework he is expected to implement at Hotspur Way. And the fact that Cristian Romero has been linked with a move away from N17 this offseason pushes Daniel Levy to consider bringing in another centre-back who is either a long-term alternative to the Argentine (if he ends up staying at Tottenham) or is an immediate successor to the former Atalanta defender.

And one name that has emerged with links to a Tottenham Hotspur transfer is Mario Gila, given the quality that the 24-year-old centre-back has been showcasing at Lazio. He has developed into a composed modern-day defender in Serie A, and while he may not boast the reputation or fire of Cristian Romero, the Real Madrid academy product gives you a different kind of stability.

But can Gila actually replace Romero? Let’s try to put our feet into this probable question that Daniel Levy and his chiefs would be thinking around within the corridors at Hotspur Way…

A Brief About Mario Gila

Gila is a ball-playing centre-back who is currently contracted at Lazio. He prefers to play with his right foot and is someone who is a zone-aware defender and has that tactical discipline about him. But how can he fit under the tactical outset of Thomas Frank?

How can Mario Gila fit at Tottenham under Frank?

Thomas Frank likes to play with centre-backs who are quite able to defend in low as well as medium blocks. And structurally he prefers to have things narrow, so he prefers someone who has that ability to play in a compact defensive structure. And then when it comes to ability with the ball, he doesn’t ask for extravagant possibilities with the ball; the Dane demands that composure on the ball to initiate measured build-ups. Lastly, he needs to have players who are capable of rotating between back four and back three setups given the hybrid approach of Thomas Frank.

When Gila plays in a back four, Gila fits in as the right-sided centre-back who is positionally strong and doesn’t overcommit, whilst he is good at intercepting rather than going blind into tackles (opposite of Romero). He is also quite comfortable laying short- or medium-range passes into midfield.

And as soon as you switch to a back three, Gila’s ability to play in a sweeper-type role where he rarely leaves his zone and is very measured allows him to play down the middle. Here his presence will allow the wider CBs to push forward while he covers centrally. And this is the kind of stability Thomas Frank relies on. Gila is not your “firefighter” defender like Romero, but instead he’s the guy who keeps the fire from starting in the first place.

I am not critiquing Romero, but I am just putting across a point that while the Argentine defender is elite in duels and chaos scenarios, Gila is someone who is elite in systems which require spacing and structure, and Thomas Frank leans more toward the latter.

Strengths

Gila is someone who is quite calm and is press resistant when it comes to building up scenarios. He fits into the medium-block that Thomas Frank wants to deploy at Tottenham. And he is a smart zone defender who is good at anticipating.

Moreover, Gila is also quite elite at rotating seamlessly into a back four and back five.

Weakness

He doesn’t give you as much of a physical dominance as someone like Romero in 1v1 duels, and he doesn’t boast that experience at the most elite level. And he is not someone who has that capacity to create ‘take the game by the throat’ moments.

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Author Opinion

Let’s remember that Gila is not your Romero 2.0, and that (to me) is not necessarily a bad thing, especially given how Thomas Frank wants to introduce a more relaxed and tighter approach, and then he plays with more organised defence than what Tottenham did last season. Moreover, Gila has that tactical capacity to be a plug-and-play option who reduces randomness and doesn’t sacrifice technical quality.

I don’t think the 24-year-old is a replacement for Romero, but then he is more of a system replacement who fits into the structure than someone who replaces a player.