Paul Robinson backs Spurs duo to make holding midfield positions their own

Former Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson has hailed Giovani Lo Celso for the improvement he has shown since completing a permanent move to the club in January.

Lo Celso arrived from Real Betis in the summer on a season-long loan deal and initially struggled to make an impact partly due to injury problems.

However, the midfielder has been one of the team’s stand-out performers over the last few months and has been an almost ever-present in Jose Mourinho’s team.

Robinson has hailed the impact the Argentine has made recently and insisted that he doesn’t get enough credit for his defensive duties.

Speaking to Football Insider, he said: “Ever since he has signed his contract he has been good.

“He was just starting to find his feet before the injury where he missed a few weeks but with Eriksen going and him signing permanently he has puffed his shoulders up and puffed his chest out and taken on that role.

“He has really stepped into that role and people do not appreciate his defensive qualities as well as his ball retention and attacking capabilities. His delivery from set plays is absolutely outstanding.”

While Mourinho initially preferred to start Eric Dier in his first few weeks as Spurs boss, Lo Celso has been paired with Harry Winks in the middle of the park in recent matches and Robinson is confident that the duo have enough about them to do play as the team’s pivots.

The former England goalkeeper added: “In my opinion, Harry Winks and Lo Celso are the best for the holding midfield positions. He (Lo Celso) is going to be key to what Spurs do in the coming weeks.”

Spurs Web Opinion

While Lo Celso’s attacking qualities were there for all to see at Betis, I too have been surprised by his tenacity and work rate since arriving at Spurs. The fact that Mourinho trusts him to play as a midfield pivot suggests that the Argentine certainly has the tactical discipline required to play the role.

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