It is officially a year to the day that Mauricio Pochettino arrived at Tottenham Hotspur to be our new manager. A year on, you can look at the squad and see who he fancies and who he doesn’t. After having a good think about the players who have improved, had more game time, or really taken to the new style, I have come up 5 players who I feel will thrive next season when Pochettino finally gets the control of the transfer market.
Erik Lamela:
It is fair to say that Erik Lamela’s time in England hasn’t been the best, but he seems to be a player who Pochettino believes can be something special. Lamela tracks back, has that occasional magic spark and will run for hours and hours, which suits Pochettino’s style to the bone. If Lamela is given one more season to show his worth and at least try to justify his price tag, then maybe, just maybe, our fans will have a change of heart on him. But for now, it is just my opinion that Lamela could thrive next season.
Christian Eriksen:
I know, I know, Eriksen had a great season this season, but that doesn’t mean he can’t get even better, does it? Imagine if Eriksen became as good as Liverpool fans think Coutinho is? That would be amazing (bare in mine Liverpool fans have a habit of overhyping, well everyone). If Eriksen would add a bit of defensive work and a bit more energy in his closing down, then he could be the ultimate playmaker for a Pochettino side. A lot of his play relies on others, but if he changed his game ever so slightly he would be superb for Pochettino next season.
Nabil Bentaleb:
Tim Sherwood may have ‘discovered’ Bentaleb, making him sound like a rare artifact from Indiana Jones, but Bentaleb has all the attributes to be the creative midfielder who can be as tough as a box of nails. With a lot of energy, tough tackles and a varied range of passing, Bentaleb has all the potential to be Pochettino’s man to turn defense into attack like the flick of a switch.
Eric Dier:
Signed from Sporting Lisbon in the summer, Eric Dier was a relative unknown, unless you play Football Manager, which of course means you know about everyone. But apart from the very few, no one knew whether Dier would even play much this season, but he has proven to everyone how classy of a Centre Back he could be. When he returns from the Under 21 Championships with England, expect him to be the main Centre Back for Pochettino and his Spurs side.
Danny Rose:
Lets be honest, no one expected Rose to still be at the club, let alone be as key as he is. Pochettino seems to have the magic touch when it comes to Full Backs, and his style has worked wonders with Danny Rose, who has been allowed to bomb up and down the left side like it’s no ones business. He could fit into Pochettino’s belief that his Full Backs should support the attack as much as possible, as well as being capable of tracking back, winning the ball back and attack all over again.
