Tottenham Hotspur may not have fielded their strongest line-up against Juventus today, but that didn’t prevent them from picking up an impressive 3-2 win.
Pochettino took the opportunity to mix his first-teamers with a host of academy graduates and prospects in order to give everyone the chance to impress.
A number of the academy lads certainly did just that, as we now look at the five starlets who impressed on the big stage:
Kyle Walker-Peters – For me, the 22-year-old right-back has now confirmed that he should be one of the two first-choice players this season. With Trippier gone, I think it is time for Walker-Peters to step up. He defended well against one of the best in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo, and still managed to get forward and make a difference in an attacking sense too. Fantastic prospect, now let’s give him a chance to grow.
Oliver Skipp – I wasn’t expecting a masterclass from Skipp today, but boy did he give us one. He started off in a deep role behind Winks, breaking up play and mopping up loose passes before starting attacks. He then moved forward when Winks left the pitch and conducted the match expertly. He could be a big squad player for Poch this season.
Troy Parrott – Poch rewarded him with his first start and Troy Parrott certainly delivered. He looks to have grown and bulked up over the summer, and was able to hold the ball up well and bring others into play. He also has blistering pace to get in behind and is confident and willing to run and demand the ball. Set up Lamela’s opener with a great shot of his own. For me, he should be Kane’s back-up this season.
Jack Roles – Only came on for 30 minutes but made a big impact on me. He runs with the ball very well and doesn’t seem shy of asking big players for a pass. Had a great season last campaign and showed glimpses of why today in the attacking half.
Japhet Tanganga – Parternered Alderweireld in the first half and coped extremely well, especially when marking huge names like Ronaldo. Seems confident with the ball at his feet but not to the point where he takes unnecessary risks. Looks like a great prospect for Spurs.
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