In Spurs’ opening Premier League game, the points were shared with Brentford in a 2-2 draw. Although the result was slightly frustrating, the football was forward-thinking, and it had the fans on the edge of their seats for the first time in months.
At the epicentre of this was Yves Bissouma, who put in a performance evocative of former Spurs midfielder Mousa Dembélé.
Bissouma played what was undoubtedly his best game for Spurs, and he was magnificent. Every touch of the ball was lightning fast, and every turn was as graceful as a ballerina. He played free of any restraints and was so composed in every moment.
With each press, Brentford aimed to dispossess him, but very few prevailed. He was unpressable, and with each ball fired into his feet, he was able to half-turn around a Brentford player and spray a pass into James Maddison or Destiny Udogie.
Bissouma was almost faultless in the game and earned himself the Man of the Match award. Despite playing 90 minutes of high-intensity football, he hardly put a foot wrong, and his pass accuracy reflected this, with 92% of his passes reaching their destination (Sofa Score).
Bissouma was a dynamo in midfield with 138 touches, the highest amount from either team and the rest of the premier league this weekend (Squawka). It was a truly stunning performance.
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Although Bissouma only started 10 games under Antonio Conte, he has now become Ange Postecoglou’s, starting No. 8. Postecoglou has grown to be a huge admirer of Bissoumas play style, and he has been extremely complimentary of him.
Postecoglou has said: “He’s got bags of energy, you know when he’s around and it’s great. He’s got a great personality.”
He added: “He’s a very, very good footballer. I’m looking forward to working with him. I think he can play a big part for us” (Football.London).
From the pre-season games and the masterclass that he delivered against Brentford, it is clear that Bissouma will be the regular starter in the Postecoglou midfield.
Could Bissouma be the next Mousa Dembele?
Bissouma has quite a unique playstyle that is very reminiscent of a former Spurs midfielder, Mousa Dembélé. Both of these players played off to the left-hand side with another midfielder to their right and an attacking No. 10 in front of them.
This is not the only common denominator between these two. Both have a unique speed on the half-turn that is guarded by their extreme strength. This agility, blended with their strength, makes them an opponent’s nightmare.
Both of these players were essential cogs in the system in which they worked. They were the keystones that held the team in place and formed the path ahead. Playing around the press is the ignition of any attack on goal, and both of these players are that spark that lights the fire.
When Dembélé arrived at Spurs, he received a similar amount of game time as Bissouma did in his first season. This, however, did not dishearten him, and he went on to play 250 games for Spurs (Fotmob).
Dembélé was admired by not just Spurs fans but midfielders past and present. Spurs fans can only hope for a similar story with Bissouma.
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