Roberto De Zerbi is urged to take one specific risk to save Tottenham’s season
Danny Murphy has warned Roberto De Zerbi that Tottenham may be at risk of going down unless he takes a big risk in his side’s upcoming matches.
The mood surrounding Spurs is much more positive than it was a week ago, with the Lilywhites moving out of the relegation zone with their win against Aston Villa.
The way they controlled the game at Villa Park has now also instilled some confidence in Spurs fans, who are hoping that the Lilywhites have now turned a corner with back-to-back league wins after going nearly four months without a victory.
However, with just a point separating Tottenham and West Ham, the Lilywhites still have work to do before they can breathe easy.
Danny Murphy urges Tottenham to risk James Maddison
James Maddison has been an unused substitute in Tottenham’s last three games, with the attacking midfielder now closing in on a return, having missed the entire season so far due to an ACL injury.
De Zerbi has admitted that he is being cautious with Maddison, given how long the 29-year-old has been out for, but Murphy has urged the Italian to risk starting the attacking midfielder, suggesting that no one else in the Spurs squad is capable of providing creativity.
The former Tottenham midfielder told Betarades.gr (as relayed by Football.London): “At the moment with Tottenham, it doesn’t feel as though they have got someone who’s got that ability, and it’s not when you haven’t got the ball, because they’re working hard enough. I think it’s more when you’ve got the ball, being brave and having the ability to play free and try and make passes and play through balls and get on it when it’s pressurised and the fans are whinging. Who’s that person?
“I’ve seen him on the bench the last few games, and Maddison is the one. Maddison is the one who could save them because he is a super talent who plays free. He can be the one that fires the ammunition to the strikers, whoever it is, whether they play Kolo Muani up there, or Richarlison. The problem is whether he is fit enough. Like, if he’s on the bench, he’s got to be close, and it might be a case that now Xavi Simons is injured, whether he’s 60, 70% fit, I’d be risking Madison, because he’s their hope.”
Murphy is not as convinced by Conor Gallagher as Roberto De Zerbi
Right from his first few days at the club, De Zerbi has admitted that he is a fan of Gallagher, and the Tottenham boss has started the Chelsea star in every game so far.
The 26-year-old delivered an outstanding performance in an advanced midfield role against Aston Villa, but Murphy believes that the England international, like the other Tottenham midfielders, is a workhorse rather than a creative player.
The pundit added: “Some of Conor Gallagher’s best traits are his athleticism, tenacity, and fight. Sarr is another midfielder, along with Palhinha. If you played against those three, they’re going to work, they’re going to fight, they’re going to run, they’re going to scrap. The problem they’ve got at the minute is creativity.
“There’s no Maddison, Kulusevski, Simons, Solanke, and the forward boys are looking low on confidence. Kolo Muani, who I like generally, is struggling while Odobert’s injured. Tel isn’t really hitting the heights they thought he would. There’s not one who you can really pin and go, he’s the man.
“At West Ham, you’ve got Bowen, and you know he’s going to keep going and keep making chances. Summerville, you could throw into that. Forest, you’ve got Morgan Gibbs-White, and he’s the man who makes stuff happen.”
