De Zerbi needs to bench £35m Spurs star who resembles ‘Poch-era Dele Alli’

Tottenham Hotspur have taken a last-ditch move and appointed Roberto De Zerbi as their new first-team manager on a long-term deal.

Much has been missing from this season’s N17 side and there are many questions surrounding De Zerbi’s employment, but Spurs bosses believe he is the right manager to lead their struggling side out of the Premier League relegation zone.

Tottenham haven’t actually fallen into the bottom three, but they are dangerously close, just one point behind a West Ham United side who look sharper and closer than they are.

It’s kitchen sink time for the north Londoners, who despite a rash of injuries have enough quality to fend off this threat.

However, there is no doubt that improvements are needed, especially in the midfield.

Spurs midfielder unsuitable for De Zerbi

Tottenham are one of the least creative teams in the Premier League. Thomas Frank tried to model a more pragmatic approach than his erratic predecessor Ange Postecoglou, but it didn’t work, nor did Igor Tudor’s short-term appointment.

Tudor are currently faced with the ambiguous question of their future as a pub quiz, but ENIC Group will be hopeful that de Zerbi can take the (successful) club forward over the next few years.

He has a wealth of Premier League experience with Brighton & Hove Albion, but to perfect his tactics he needs a midfield creator, something his current squad lacks.

Discussing the suitability of Tottenham’s midfielders for De Zerbi’s system, analyst Spencer Mossman said: “The current midfield would be about as compatible as orange juice and toothpaste.”

Tottenham’s midfielders are too bad on the ball and are not effective when creating. Xavi Simmons is an excellent playmaker, but his performance this season has been so disappointing that his departure in the summer is not all that surprising. Both James Madison and Dejan Kulusevski have not kicked a ball this season due to injuries.

Who stays and who goes is up for debate, but it’s clear that a small number of forces have some influence in establishing themselves.

Why Spurs need to let go of the ‘Poccia-era Dele Alli’

Tottenham need more mavericks in midfield and attack. The Lilywhites were unsure of their ideals throughout the season, which led to confusion and stagnant offensive play.

Perhaps they need a player like Dele Alli, a game-changer and difference-maker who scores goals, creates goals and proves to be a nuisance for defenders.

Interestingly, Conor Gallagher was once considered a potential successor to the N17. Gallagher, 26, had attracted the attention of Tottenham many times in recent years before joining from Atletico Madrid in January for a fee of £35m.

The former Chelsea player was once described by The Athletic’s Jack Pitt-Brook as having a resemblance to “a Poch-era Dele Alli” for his athleticism and ability to get into danger zones.

To be fair, some of those core qualities have been on display since he joined Tottenham in January, but many have not. After an energetic and combative fast start, he lost momentum.

Gallagher was noticed by Spurs fans as an all-action, hard-hitting midfielder who brought energy and dynamism to the center of the park. Reality couldn’t be further from the truth. He had a hard time flattering, deceiving, and influencing.

Gallagher has only been at the club for a few months and is already starting to look like a reckless signing, while Dell has fallen from his impressive status due to personal issues and enjoyed many years of success at Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs.

De Zerbi favors fast, flowing football with an emphasis on possession. If Gallagher holds the key to unlocking that vision – and he has so far shown no indication otherwise – the England international could be among the players to leave as changes are announced this summer.