As we approach the last game of the season, Tottenham Hotspur face a genuine risk of relegation, and with that must come a James Maddison risk.
This year, the story is a bit different, as we usually celebrate the player of the season and hope for Champions League qualification.
However, on May 24, we learn our fate with our Premier League status on the line. It’s in times like these when a team looks to their talisman, their star player, and unfortunately for us, our star player is just returning from two ACL injuries.
Tottenham are devoid of creativity without James Maddison
For the entire season, whether we have been under Thomas Frank (eww), Igor Tudor, or Roberto De Zerbi, the technical ability in the team has been its biggest issue.
With Maddison out until May, Dejan Kulusevski’s mysterious injury still keeping him out of the World Cup, and Xavi Simons adjusting to the pace and physicality of the league, this season was always going to be an uphill battle.
It should come as little surprise, then, that upon his return to the first team, even with the limited minutes he’s played, Maddison looks like our best attacking player.
This is evidenced by the fact that against Leeds, we could have won a penalty (that SHOULD have been a penalty), and against Chelsea, he was inches away from scoring an equaliser.
The front three of Kolo Muani, Mathys Tel and Richarlison have done okay, given their limited technical ability, but it has become evident that Spurs cannot rely on them to safely get over the line.
Simply put, Madders does more in his 10-15 minutes on the pitch than those three do for most of the match. This is not a dig at them or their effort, but asking any of this front three to create a moment of magic would be like asking a fish to climb a tree.
Maddison is more than just technical quality
Besides being able to create things better than anyone else, Maddison has the talismanic charisma that this team has lacked all season. He, much like his personality off the pitch, exudes ‘main character energy’. He’s able to demand the ball, hold it and win fouls to relieve pressure.
All this smartness adds up and contributes to the team in a way that isn’t exactly quantifiable, but it is something that has been desperately missing.
Maddison was simply born to be the metronome of a team, and every minute he plays, it’s not only apparent not only how much we’ve missed him, but also how much Tottenham have missed that element all season.
Should Spurs gamble James Maddison?
Under De Zerbi, Spurs have looked like an entirely different team. We are energetic and often outwork and outrun our opponents. However, around the 60-70 minute mark, we often seem to lose energy and tire out.
Usually, we look crisp and energised in the first 20 minutes, which is exactly why we believe he is worth starting, even if we only get 35-45 minutes out of him. The truth of the matter is that our attacking depth is nonexistent, and in order for us to stay up, Maddison should start the Everton match, where we can hopefully capitalise on the team’s natural energy and his genius.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man and for Spurs sake, we need Main Character Madders to start against Everton.
- READ MORE – De Zerbi provides positive Tottenham injury update on Maddison and Solanke for Everton clash