“The biggest growth for us will be in our attacking side of the game.”
So said Ange Postecoglou when asked what areas of his Tottenham Hotspur team need improving.
It will not come as a surprise that Postecoglou is publicly demanding that his team raise their level — he does that almost every time he speaks — but for him to specifically pinpoint the attack might raise an eyebrow for a team that has scored 22 goals in 10 Premier League matches.
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Then again, Spurs have been clinical rather than supremely creative. They are overperforming their expected goals (xG) by a decent number — their xG of 17.8 suggests they are finishing their chances at an above-average rate. That xG total is only the ninth highest in the league, although Spurs fare much better on the number of Opta-defined ‘big chances’ created at 24, bettered only by Brighton & Hove Albion and Newcastle United on 27.
Postecoglou’s words were noticeable for the fact he believes the attacking movements are “still not natural”.
“Particularly in the front third, a lot of our movements are still not natural and fluent like we want them to be, which isn’t surprising,” he said before Friday’s 2-1 win at Crystal Palace.
“What is getting us the goals is that we have great quality up there, which is contributing to that.”
By contrast, he waxed lyrical about his team’s consistency excellent defending, not just in his team’s half of the field but in their pressing all over the pitch, such as for both goals against Fulham when Spurs, yes, took advantage of Calvin Bassey’s slapdash passing, but also helped force those mistakes.
So how can his team become more fluent in attack? Does that just naturally take time to build relationships and telepathy? Or are the individuals charged with creating that fluency not up to the task?
There is probably an overreliance on James Maddison (five assists, three goals in the Premier League) and Son Heung-min (eight goals, one assist), but that is far less of an issue when they are in the form they are showing.
Those displays have masked the continued underperformance of Richarlison, who, in terms of end product (one goal and three assists), is not contributing as much as he or Postecoglou would surely like. Neither is Dejan Kulusevski (two goals, no assists). If Richarlison currently can’t shoot, the hesitant Kulusevski infuriatingly won’t shoot.
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However, Richarlison and Kulusevski are making sizeable contributions through their work rate and pressing. Without the ball, they are fitting into what Postecoglou wants. Kulusevski is also playing fluently, combining and overlapping with his team-mates, but Richarlison looks a bit ungainly at times. The left side of attack is perhaps not his best position but, regardless, his touch is off. His passes can be misguided, and his shooting has been wayward.
On the bench, Spurs have their most expensive signing of the summer, Brennan Johnson, waiting in the wings.
Aside from the win over Fulham, when the game was done and Spurs were cruising, Johnson has made a noticeably positive difference in each of his appearances in a Spurs shirt — his debut against Sheffield United when he came on to chase the game and helped stretch their defence (scoring with a neat finish only to be denied by a marginal offside); his first start against Arsenal, when he found himself in some great positions and could have scored a goal or two; and then another substitute appearance against Palace, when he laid on the second goal for Son.
Johnson’s biggest asset is his pace, which he used to great effect in the closing stages at Selhurst Park, zooming past Nathaniel Clyne here and to the byline.
Johnson cuts the ball back for Son, whose shot is blocked.
His pace was a factor in Spurs’ second goal too. After heading Pape Matar Sarr’s raking cross-field pass to Maddison, Johnson spots a gap in the defence and sprints into the box.
Again, he plays a nice pull back for Son, who finds the net with a smart finish.
Left-forward is not a position Johnson has played often in his career. According to Transfermarkt, from more than 150 appearances at various levels, from the Premier League to League One and also cup competitions and the FA Youth Cup, Johnson has only begun 23 of those as either a left winger or left midfielder.
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One of those came in one of the biggest games of his career just a few weeks ago, the north London derby at the Emirates.
Spurs spent most of the first half playing on the counter-attack and that suited Johnson, who gave a pretty sprightly performance. He was bold and decisive in his movements and decision-making.
It is only the third minute here and he immediately sets about trying to work an angle for an effort on goal.
The shot is blocked but the intent is there.
Later in the half, he isolates Ben White and heads towards the byline.
Again, he is quick, direct and looking for Son, although this time, the ball is too close to the keeper.
Johnson was not instructed to press frequently at Forest last season but by all accounts, he has the work rate and the enthusiasm to do this if required.
What Richarlison offers over Johnson is experience, physicality, an aerial threat (although Spurs aren’t big crossers) and, on his day, top-level quality in front of goal. The issue is he is horribly out of form.
Is it time for Johnson to get his opportunity?
“Brennan was great,” Postecoglou said of Johnson’s cameo at Palace. “He’s had to be patient as he’s had a couple of setbacks obviously so we haven’t really seen him in any consistent game time or training time but the last couple of weeks, he’s worked hard at training.”
Richarlison did not do much wrong at Palace, but the question of whether he is contributing enough is a legitimate one. With Son having been subbed in seven of his 10 appearances, perhaps Richarlison would be better used as an impact substitute.
Spurs also lacked pace against Palace, something Johnson has by the bucketload. It may be time to unleash him.
(Photo: Visionhaus/Getty Images)
