Mauricio Pochettino will be more than happy with a point after his team’s performance at the Emirates in the North London derby last weekend. There were a number of areas where Pochettino’s side could improve and that will be running on the mind of the manager all throughout the international break. But one positive that will make the Argentine smile is the form of Belgian midfielder Mousa Dembele, who is rated at €25.1 Million. The 29-year old is one of the first names on the team-sheet for the Spurs when fit and is a player who makes the whole team much stronger. He was the man of the match for the game against Arsenal, giving his side a way back into the game winning a penalty and here is a close look at his game on the night.
Arsene Wenger was well aware of the attacking threats of the Tottenham side but decided to take the initiative and press the visitors high up the field. However, it was clear that it was not a tactic that will work against the expertise of the Belgian in the midfield. Inside two minutes, Dembele managed to get past two Arsenal players to setup the first real chance of the game for Kyle Walker. His awareness of space ahead of him along with his presence of mind that put Walker on goal is what the Spurs have missed in their recent games.
Often finding pockets of space in the middle of the park, Dembele was one of the most comfortable players in possession of the ball in a game that was at times played at a fanatic pace. Though he was a doubt for this game after picking up a niggle in the Champions League game at the weekend, Dembele managed to make a huge impact in one of the biggest games this season. With a passing accuracy of 89.4%, Dembele had one of those games where everything seems to happen at a comfortable pace. He often found loads of space and time on the ball and more often than not got Francis Coquelin and Granit Xhaka into committing themselves in the midfield. His quick feet and tricky shrug of the shoulders got him past almost every outfield player in the field as he made 6 successful dribbles, more than any other player on the night.
Furthermore, he made 3 tackles and two interceptions, helping his team out at the back. A close look at the game shows that Victor Wanyama, the other pivot on the night for the Spurs, was never left alone against the likes of Mesut Ozil. The penalty he won was a clear example of how he was one of the most confident players on the field. He drove past a couple of Arsenal players and was clipped by Laurent Koscielny, who looked comfortable all night. It was a moment that was fitting of his performance on the night and Pochettino will be happy for him and will hope that he can stay fit and keep up his good work.