Ange could silence Watkins by unleashing Spurs’ “titanic” dynamo

Tottenham Hotspur will conflict towards Aston Villa within the Premier League on Sunday afternoon in what may show to be a season-defining fixture for Ange Postecoglou‘s facet.

Presently, Spurs are fifth within the standings and path the fourth-placed Villans by 5 factors, albeit with a sport in hand, and victory within the Midlands would probably reshape the desk within the coming weeks.

Defeat, conversely, would supply Unai Emery’s high-flying outfit with a serious benefit heading into the enterprise finish, and Tottenham should be certain that they depart Villa Park with one thing to maintain on their opponents’ heels.

Particularly so with groups akin to Manchester United trailing additional behind however positive to leap at any opening that arises from Tottenham’s defeat.

Postecoglou will likely be dedicated to stopping that from taking place, and whereas he has most of his gamers accessible, there are one or two who’re marooned within the medical room.

Spurs staff information vs Aston Villa

Richarlison’s knee damage suffered towards Wolverhampton Wanderers will hold him shackled on the sidelines for the foreseeable, stifling a surprising run of goalscoring type that noticed the Brazilian reap nine goals from ten Premier League outings.

Veteran goalkeeper Fraser Forster and left-sided dynamo Ryan Sessegnon stay longer-term absentees, however there have been no recent issues to dishearten Postecoglou.

Having been unavailable for Spurs’ previous two matches as a result of a muscular damage, Pedro Porro returned to full staff coaching this week and is in line to reclaim his starting spot at right-back.

The Spaniard’s return, it can’t be understated, is a stirring enhance for the Lilywhites as they appear to clinch successive league victories for the primary time since earlier than Christmas.

Pedro Porro may assist silence Ollie Watkins

Tottenham have ebbed and flowed from type this season however they’re a far cry from the malaise of 2022/23, with the emphatic performances of stars akin to Porro – who has been praised for his “titanic” shows this time period by The Athletic’s Charlie Eccleshare – integral on this regard.

As per Sofascore, the January 2023 mortgage signing – who completed a permanent £40m transfer last summer – has certainly been sensible this season; Tottenham’s prime help maker with seven assists, he has additionally averaged 2.9 tackles, 2.5 clearances, 5.7 ball recoveries and 5.1 profitable duels per sport.

His all-encompassing method will likely be essential, additionally with a sure ubiquity in his play, energetic, tenacious, and masking immense stretches of floor – fairly merely, Porro is one in all Tottenham’s greatest gamers, and he will likely be vital in stifling the specter of Ollie Watkins.

Watkins has been Aston Villa’s indomitable spearhead this season, sensational in his attacking output and yielding a return of 21 goals and ten assists throughout all competitions this season.

To completely underscore this, the 28-year-old ranks among the many prime 14% of forwards throughout Europe’s prime 5 leagues over the previous 12 months for objectives scored and the highest 5% for assists per 90, as per FBref, so he is definitely within the elite bracket of forwards proper now and has even been dubbed a “fascinating” participant by The Occasions’ Henry Winter.

These statistics illustrate how vital he has been to Villa and why Porro being accessible to probably restrict his influence is so very important to Tottenham’s probabilities of selecting up all three factors.

Whereas the England worldwide has been enjoying at centre-forward this season, he has a predilection to linger to the left – as evidenced by his Sofascore heat map – and Porro’s productiveness in his defensive duties will likely be key in making certain he doesn’t have free rein.

The video above shows Watkins in all his breakneck glory, wheeling away from his opponent down the Aston Villa attacking left flank to drive into the hazard space and look to unleash a artistic cross for a teammate.

That is precisely the form of hazard that Tottenham must be cautious of and it’s an illustration of the striker’s multi-functionality, proving to be dynamic and efficient throughout a spread of roles.

Emerson Royal, who has stepped in at right-back for Porro throughout the previous two matches, is a stable defensive power and proved this by winning 18 contested duels throughout the 2 affairs, however he was too snug permitting others to do the attacking work and such stagnancy will likely be exploited by the Villa machine.

Porro’s creativity will hold Watkins on his toes, not so carefree in waltzing via the thirds. Porro’s aforementioned restoration powers dwarf that of his Brazilian positional peer, who has averaged simply 3.9 ball recoveries per sport.

After all, right-sided central defender Cristian Romero can have the first obligation of quelling Watkins’s free-scoring type however this would possibly truly work in Tottenham’s favour, with the tough-tackling Argentine – who ranks among the many prime 9% of centre-backs throughout Europe’s prime 5 leagues over the previous 12 months for tackles per 90, as per FBref – a pillar of power on the again.

Romero’s aggressiveness and virtually brazen method to his defensive duties have left hopeful attackers in items all through the marketing campaign however Watkins will likely be savvy to this and drift away, maybe down his favoured left flank, to give attention to the playmaking facet of his sport and await opportune moments to pounce and unleash strikes on purpose.

Now, Watkins is likely to be a medical striker however his intelligence, motion, and spatial consciousness are first-rate qualities which have been heralded by The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell, who mentioned that his capacity to tie defenders “in knots” together with his fleet-footed surges is nothing wanting an “artwork type.”

Because it’s unlikely he’ll break the hosts’ form and drive out onto the best wing, the one various is to come back up towards Porro, who’s greater than able to offering his adversary with the horn-locking welcome to rebuff him in his advances.

It is an enormous contest however Tottenham will consider that they will overcome a slick and trendy Villa facet to proceed their resurgence below Postecoglou, and Porro will likely be on the centre of the motion.