Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – It was the moment of triumph for a player who had invested countless hours on the practice field lately, perfecting his positioning at the far post. The ball came flying in at an awkward angle, tempting him to just blast it over. Instead, Brennan Johnson stepped up and delivered what Tottenham had been missing for months: a game-winning goal from the bench.
Son Heung-min was eager to start, but ended up warming the bench for over an hour, sweating off exhaustion and disappointment from the Asian Cup semi-final as Spurs struggled.
You might have assumed Son’s return would change the game for Tottenham’s push for a top-four spot. Yves Bissouma’s comeback from Afcon could also be crucial. Now, it’s up to Ange Postecoglou to dictate the battle between Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur at the No 6 position.
After a minor slip-up in possession, Bentancur let out a loud frustration as he nudged the ball out of play in a challenge with Danny Welbeck. But it’s what happened after, his role in Spurs conceding a penalty and his determination in the build-up to Pape Matar Sarr’s equalizer, that will define Bentancur’s contribution to the game.
Postecoglou doesn’t like to limit Bentancur to a specific position, avoiding terms like “eights” and “sixes”. However, Brighton’s penalty gave him plenty of evidence, and Bentancur struggled on more than one occasion. Spurs were sloppy in possession for most of the first half.
By the time Bentancur had an influential play to set up the equalizer, Postecoglou had already decided on a double substitution. Bentancur was replaced by Son and Johnson. Bissouma followed soon after.
The timing was unfortunate for Bentancur, as he had just shown where he operates best. There were moments of interchanging with Sarr in the deeper role, especially after some whispers were exchanged between Bissouma and Bentancur coming out of the tunnel for the second half.
There have been numerous iterations of the central midfield since the New Year, with Skipp and Hojbjerg also playing roles. Hojbjerg is expected to leave in the summer and Skipp is unlikely to displace Bissouma, Sarr, or Bentancur. The No 6 dilemma will need to be addressed.
It’s hard to assess Bentancur’s form without considering the eight months he spent recovering from an ACL injury. There is some rationale behind Postecoglou’s decision not to confine Bentancur to one position, given the fluidity of play he wants from Tottenham – but as a protective cover for Romero and Van de Ven, it doesn’t work. Bissouma’s discipline was called into question after receiving his third ban of the season before Christmas, but he is likely to return as the first choice No 6 going forward.
“We now have the ability to bring on players who can have an impact,” Postecoglou said. “I thought they did today and it also keeps players on their toes if they’re not performing and gives me some options.”
Injuries and suspensions have been a major issue all season. A difficult decision may be approaching, but Postecoglou has rarely had this level of luxury.
