Why Harry Winks Deserves To Start More Often For Tottenham
Harry Winks may still be largely inexperienced compared to his contemporaries but the player has certainly made a mark for himself at Tottenham Hotspur this season. His calmness and composure has always been evident but the confidence with which he debuted for England shortly after, only goes to show how the player is on a mission to constantly improve himself.
He may be only 21, but much of Tottenham’s play in the midfield has gone through Winks. In fact, even the senior players seem quite happy to give him the ball to keep the tempo going, and the youngster has done exactly that. Over the last couple of games, Winks has also covered a lot of ground, popping up in the channels as well as through the middle.
Winks has truly showcased his talent on a consistent basis, which did help him in earning his first cap for the England national team.
Harry Winks has appeared at every level for England:
U17s: 6 games
U18s: 2 games
U19s: 6 games
U20s: 8 games
U21s: 2 games
Senior: 1 game pic.twitter.com/uGfFyZEYG8— Squawka (@Squawka) October 9, 2017
Winks may only have four Premier League starts, but he has also appeared 22 times from the bench, racking up nearly 10 hours of game time in the league, as well as making three starts in the Champions League.
While Winks continues to make waves with his stunning performances, there is a genuine concern that Winks might eventually find it hard to force his way into the side when Pochettino has a full compliment of central midfielders available to him. Mousa Dembele, Victor Wanyama and Eric Dier are all arguably ahead of the talented youngster in Spurs’ midfield pecking order, and if he is to continue his progress and development this season, it will be vital for him to consistently play first-team football.
However, considering the way Winks has impacted the team’s fluidity in the midfield, Pochettino should provide him with more chances along the way. Much of Tottenham’s creativity and spark can be attributed to the efforts of the young Englishman.
Pochettino’s other options – Sissoko, Eriksen and Dembele – all embody Pochettino’s typical vertical style that looks to stretch opponents out, making it an attacking brand of football. However, in doing so, the defence often ends up getting compromised. Moreover, the style tends to stretch Spurs apart on the pitch while also indirectly proving to be quite wasteful of possession.
In such situations, Winks offers a way for Pochettino to slow down and retain the ball. His influence was all the more evident in Spurs’ narrow win against West Ham. Although the Hammers were a threat until the final whistle, without Winks on the field, Spurs may not have even come close to a victory.
That is probably why Winks deserves to start more for Tottenham!