After losing his first three games in charge of Tottenham Hotspur, interim manager Igor Tudor has a chance to win his first game against Atletico Madrid tonight.
The Champions League allows them to escape from the Premier League, with the Lilywhites currently sitting in 16th place, just one place above the relegation zone.
However, their performance in Europe so far has been astonishing, finishing in 4th place with just one loss in eight league games.
As a result, Tudor’s side will travel to Madrid tonight for the first leg of the last 16, but will face huge demands to reach the next stage, especially if their recent form continues.
If Tudor are to secure an advantage in tonight’s first leg at the Metropolitano, they will desperately need to remove one player from their starting eleven due to their recent misery.
Why Tudor needs to take Palinha off against Atlético
Since taking over at the end of last month, Tudor has chosen central midfielder Joao Parinha to play central role in his side’s last two Premier League matches.
However, despite the faith his manager has shown him recently, the Portuguese international has failed to produce results, with his performances significantly down on his early season form.
The 30-year-old only completed 54% of the passes he attempted against his former team Fulham, and then gave up the ball an astonishing 14 times.
In the match against Crystal Palace, they struggled with the ball at their feet and had the ball given back to them eight times, which undoubtedly contributed to their defeat.
Parinha has also completed just five passes into the final third in the last two games, and his inability to maintain possession certainly limits his team in key moments.
Tudor’s system in North London is not yet widespread, but it requires players who are comfortable with possession, and Parinha has struggled to adapt in recent games.
Who should replace Parinha against Atlético?
The midfield division is one that has been the subject of much debate in recent months, especially given the struggles they have endured in recent months.
Conor Gallagher was also added to the squad during the January period, but he too struggled to produce results, starting just one game under Tudor.
The manager has utilized three different partnerships since taking over, but the 47-year-old is arguably yet to find his best team.
Injuries have certainly made his job difficult in recent weeks, but his inability to choose the right combinations has also contributed to his recent struggles.
Archie Gray is a midfielder who has struggled to fulfill his role since the Croatian’s arrival, often playing in the wing-back position in the manager’s three-back system.
The 19-year-old provided the assist for Dominic Solanke’s goal in the recent game against Crystal Palace and the youngster could continue to develop as a central part of the team.
The Englishman, who moved for £40 million last summer, has mostly played as a utility man since moving to North London and has rarely featured in midfield.
However, Gray, who thrived in this position, managed to attract attention by proving his quality in the last European match against Eintracht Frankfurt.
He completed 96% of the passes he attempted in January, and even sent more passes into the final third in one game than Parinha had in the previous two games.
Archie Gray – CM v Frankfurt stats | |
|---|---|
statistics | tally |
Play time (minutes) | 90 |
touch | 68 |
Pass accuracy | 96% |
advance to the final third | 6 |
Dribbling completed | 100% |
completed cross | 100% |
Number of balls collected | 4 |
aerial won | 100% |
Gray also completed 100% of his attempted dribbles against the German side and 100% of his crosses into the box.
He was equally impressive when he didn’t have the ball, going on to make four successful ball recoveries and winning 100% of the aerials that went in, showing his dominant nature even when he didn’t have the ball.
The aforementioned performance is further proof that the youngster is well-suited for a midfield role. After all, there’s a reason he’s being compared to Michael Carrick, and there’s a reason why Como scout Ben Mattinson dubbed him a “future £100m” star.
Therefore, if the Lilywhites want to finally end their recent losing streak under a new manager, they will need to sack Parinha from the squad and give the Englishman the start he needs in his natural role.
But failing to do so would be further evidence that the 47-year-old is not the man to take the club forward, and his decision-making is already in question.
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Tottenham Hotspur may consider appointing a manager if Igor Tudor is sacked.
