Former Tottenham Hotspur right-back, Alan Hutton has described Japhet Tananga as ‘solid’ and like a ‘brick wall’ at the back for the Lilywhites.
Tanganga came into the Spurs XI for the game against Aston Villa last weekend, with both Serge Aurier and Matt Doherty not included in the squad.
Aurier and Doherty have both struggled for consistency this season and have often been rotated. However, this is the first time that Tanganga has been given a real chance.
In the past seven Premier League games, Tanganga has started three, coming against Man City, West Ham and Villa (TransferMarkt). However, he has just nine Premier League appearances in total since breaking into the Spurs first-team squad.
Alan Hutton has claimed that, while Tanganga will not be a right-back in the long-term, he could be a good option this season as a defensive outlet.
Hutton believes that Reguilon bombing up and down on the right, with Tanganga sitting back on the right, could work for Spurs.
He said (Football Insider): “Solid is the word. He’s like a brick wall, people couldn’t get past him.
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“He’s calm on the ball, happy to just hold a player off, come out and find a pass. I don’t think long-term he’ll be a right-back but at the moment I think he’s doing a fine job.
“He’s doing better than the other two (Doherty and Aurier) we mentioned. He’s not going to give you those bursts forward and balls into the box but Reguilon can do that on the other side for you. Tanganga can be more defensive.
“I think that kind of suits them at the moment, especially moving forward. Sometimes when Mourinho does play the attacking football, both full-backs are up the pitch and they leave themselves exposed.
“When they play with Tanganga at right-back, he’s more defensively minded. He plays his position and plays very strongly, which allows Reguilon to get down the left-hand side. Moving forward, I think that could be an option that’s high up Mourinho’s list.
“Matt Doherty and Aurier, they’ve not been good enough this season and that’s why they’re not playing.”
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