Aston Villa will be the opponents when Tottenham Hotspur return to Premier League action after the October international hiatus. One of the headline debates among the pubs around N17 was around that left-back spot and it is sort of a selection dilemma that Thomas Frank will be facing when the players return at Hotspur Way.
Both Djed Spence and Destiny Udogie have been pushing each other, given that the former has made that left-flank fullback spot his own as Udogie was dealing with injuries. But now that the former Udinese star has returned, it has created this uncertainty about who will start, giving Thomas Frank some good headaches. Both of the full-backs have impressed at some point in the ongoing season. But given his recent form and stats, everything points to Spence having earned the right to retain his place in the side despite Udogie’s return from injury.
Spence has continued his resurgence under Frank
The former Middlesbrough star has continued his form under Thomas Frank. Spence had been on the periphery a few times, but once the 25-year-old got going, he hit his stride. He has continued to flourish since Frank’s appointment as well. He has shown his complement of putting his body smartly in physical duels but with a level of tactical awareness that we have seen lacking in his games before.
His capacity to turn in towards midfield in build-up situations or carry the flank in attack gives the Lilywhites that sense of dynamic options in possession. And this kind of plays exactly into the hands of Frank (and his tactical blueprint). And if you put him on the left with Porro on the right, Tottenham had a balanced duo of full-backs.
Let’s look at the basic numbers of Spence and Udogie
Frank and his use of full backs, feat. Spence and Porro
Frank has ensured that his deployment of full-backs has been highly flexible. So he has in a way tried to balance the roles of both. Instead of having a standard overlap defender on the flank. He has tried to give them different roles, which brings this balance and ends up adding more dynamism to the sequences.
The England international has this left-footed nature which gives him this innate advantage here. He can invert from the left with ease, connecting with the likes of Simons or Joao Palhinha without sacrificing the width when needed.
We saw that against Leeds and Villarreal, where Spence was positioned in a way where he stretched the opposition. This whilst ensuring that Kudus and Simons can make the most of half-spaces.
That being said, Udogie still is a key in the current roster. He has that offensive capacity which not many can replicate. So it should come in handy in a lot of games, but right now balance is more important.
And given how Spence has been playing, his confidence and consistency make him impossible to drop.
TTLB Opinion
We have seen how Spence has been more than just a filer. He has proved his abilities in the past twelve months or so. At the moment he is more than just a name on the roster.
The England international gives you that defensive balance but with attacking capacity. But then don’t underestimate that he is quite effective when it comes to high-tempo transitions.
Spence has that understanding with Porro on the opposite flank as well. He gives you that balance, which is quite underrated, especially given how Frank plays a structural system.
Don’t get us wrong, having Udogie back is more than welcome, but Spence deserves to stay exactly where he is, in the starting XI.
