Abba Voyage isn’t the only Swedish attraction captivating London right now. While fans of the legendary band gather in east London to experience the spectacle, a bit further north, Tottenham supporters are witnessing another Swede making waves. Dejan Kulusevski has transformed from a fringe player to an indispensable asset under Ange Postecoglou. Indeed, Kulusevski is the midfielder who drives Spurs forward, excelling both on and off the ball to help the team not only control possession but also swiftly regain it when lost.
Last season, Kulusevski was vying with Brennan Johnson for the right-wing position. While he was initially seen as backup for James Maddison in the No 10 role, it was believed that the Swede was most effective on the wing. This season, however, Postecoglou has deployed both players in the midfield, and Spurs have greatly benefited: Kulusevski’s quick thinking now compensates for the lack of pace previously evident in Postecoglou’s preferred 4-3-3 formation.
One of Kulusevski’s weaknesses has been his lack of speed, a flaw that was highlighted in Postecoglou’s 4-3-3 setup. While he possesses quick thinking, his physical limitations often hindered his impact from the wing. Fast forward to today, and Kulusevski is crucial to Spurs’ play in a central role. Although he has only one Premier League assist this season, that reflects more on his teammates’ finishing than Kulusevski’s creativity. With 23 key passes, he ranks fifth in the English top flight, and 18 of those have been from open play, the third-most in the division.
The move inside allows Kulusevski to fully utilize his vision to dissect opposing defenses, which he is doing at an impressive level. However, what stands out about moving him infield is not just his ability to create for teammates but also his willingness to press and force turnovers in the final third. This season, Spurs have the second-highest possession average (61.7%) in the Premier League, but when they lose the ball, they relentlessly pressure opponents to win it back quickly. This was one of the main reasons Postecoglou sought to sign Dominic Solanke this summer; the England international is one of the most hardworking forwards in the division. Moving Kulusevski infield means Solanke has the support needed to maintain the press, which is why Spurs lead in possession won in the attacking third (60), with Kulusevski leading the individual metric (13).
While Spurs haven’t fully hit their stride—they are seventh after eight games, and their collapse at Brighton shows there’s still work to be done—Kulusevski’s performances have been more than just a bright spot; they’ve been a beacon of light. In the past, he would fade in and out of games. Now, Kulusevski is arguably Spurs’ most consistent player. He creates chaos in the final third once he wins the ball and isn’t afraid to get stuck into defensive battles to disrupt his opponents’ rhythm—he has also committed more fouls (13) in the league than any other Spurs player.
It’s well-known that Postecoglou often delivers silverware in his second season at a club, and it might just be that using Kulusevski through the middle is Spurs’ best chance to end their trophy drought.
Source link: https://www.theguardian.com
