Tottenham Hotspur’s struggles in the Premier League over recent seasons have left supporters reminiscing about the phenomenal talents they witnessed in years gone by.
From Dele Alli’s breakout season in 2015/16 to Harry Kane’s constant Golden Boot-winning campaigns – the fans have been truly blessed in North London.
Whilst the two have taken totally different paths since leaving Spurs, current boss Roberto De Zerbi must wish he were still able to call upon those talents in their prime.
However, they’re not the only former stars who captured the hearts of the supporters, with one of the most underrated talents of the modern game making a name for himself with the Lilywhites.
Why Dembele would be perfect in De Zerbi’s system at Spurs
Since his arrival back in March, Spurs boss De Zerbi has constantly demanded his players to work tirelessly without the ball, but produce endless amounts of quality when in possession.
Mousa Dembele is a player who certainly would have fit his philosophy down to the ground, with the Belgian midfielder a player who constantly delivered the goods in North London.
He racked up 240 appearances for the Lilywhites over a seven and a half year period and undoubtedly became one of the most crucial players in the senior ranks.
The 39-year-old’s technical ability, coupled with his brute force and ball protection skills made him a dominant Premier League player and one who is still spoken about to this day.
You will hear countless former players claiming that he was the hardest player to operate against, and unsurprisingly so given his unique and awkward playstyle.
Whilst he was a dominant box-to-box midfielder, Dembele was a player who could glide across the turf – often looking like compatriot Eden Hazard if he were a midfielder.
|
Mousa Dembele – Spurs games per season |
|
|---|---|
|
Season |
Appearances |
|
2012/13 |
40 |
|
2013/14 |
35 |
|
2014/15 |
38 |
|
2015/16 |
35 |
|
2016/17 |
39 |
|
2017/18 |
40 |
|
2018/19 |
13 |
|
Total |
240 |
He was mesmerising with the ball at his feet, so mesmerising in fact that Kyle Walker once said that the Belgian is “probably the best dribbler I’ve ever seen.”
How De Zerbi has found his answer to Dembele at Spurs
Replacing a player of Dembele’s calibre has been a near-impossible task for Spurs over recent years – and unsurprisingly so given his rare skillset in and out of position.
No player of his build should be able to glide past the opposition as he did, yet still be able to offer a superb ball-winning presence without it – he truly was a freak of nature.
The hierarchy have spent a pretty penny trying to land a similar talent to the Belgian star, but after seven years of failed additions, it looks though they finally have their man.
Mateus Fernandes has had to bide his time following a £85m move to the Lilywhites from West Ham United, but it’s safe to say he grabbed his latest opportunity with both hands.
The Portuguese star has only started 50% of the league games since his arrival, many of which have been in a more advanced role than he’s usually accustomed to.
However, De Zerbi handed the 22-year-old an opportunity to feature at the base of the midfield against Chelsea – a decision which aided the side in securing all three points at Stamford Bridge.
The big-money signing produced his best display for the club on Saturday evening, subsequently registering 124 touches of the ball and 14 defensive contributions.
Both of the aforementioned figures were the highest of any player who started the encounter, which showcases his ability to thrive in and out of possession.
Such a skillset is what made Dembele a monster hit with the supporters, and there’s no reason why Fernandes can’t emulate his success during his time in the capital.
The youngster managed to complete a staggering 27 line-breaking passes and 92% of the passes he attempted – with the midfielder often being the pace setter in the Lilywhites’ attacking moves.
Without the ball, he was just as impressive, as seen by his remarkable tallies of three tackles and six ball recoveries made – numbers similar to those of Dembele in his prime.
De Zerbi was quick to heap praise on Fernandes after the game, stating: “Mateus Fernandes maybe was one of the best players on the pitch.
“He played 90 minutes with a big, big quality. I want to see Mateus Fernandes with personality. I want to see Fernandes enjoy with the ball. Even if he can make a mistake, it doesn’t matter.”
Such a showing is evidence to the manager that the big-money man should be a regular starter in his team, with the Portuguese star able to have an effect at both ends of the pitch.
Should he be handed the chance to start consistently and emulate such a display, there’s no reason why he can’t become as influential as Dembele was during his own time in North London.
