Three Tottenham stars Roberto De Zerbi should drop to beat Brighton in must-win clash - Opinion
Tottenham Hotspur have struggled to pick up wins this calendar year, and now Roberto De Zerbi must be ruthless with his team selection as we head into the Premier League run-in. We have identified three players the Italian must drop against Brighton and Hove Albion.
With each passing gameweek, Tottenham Hotspur are running out of time to save their Premier League season as relegation to the Championship looms large.
In gameweek 32, Spurs were the only side in the bottom four who failed to pick up any points, with West Ham United, Nottingham Forest and Leeds all managing to either win or draw their respective games.
Tottenham now find themselves in the relegation places, two points adrift of safety after West Ham leapfrogged them last week.
But matchweek 33 presents Spurs with another shot at redemption, with in-form Brighton making the trip to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
This encounter marks Roberto De Zerbi’s home debut, and he will be hoping to mark the occasion with a victory. Still, changes must be made to his starting XI, and we have highlighted three players we believe should be dropped on Saturday if Tottenham are to secure a result.
Tottenham should drop Conor Gallagher after midfield struggles
To kick things off, focus turns to Conor Gallagher, who started in the pivot role alongside Archie Gray against Sunderland.
The former Chelsea man looked to put in a shift, but it was clear his efforts were not good enough against the Black Cats. Spurs needed more from him both on and off the ball, yet Gallagher struggled to deliver at the required level.
The midfielder failed to track Mukiele as he drove through Tottenham’s midfield before scoring the only goal of the game. His overall numbers underline that struggle.
| Stat | Total |
|---|---|
| Ground duels won | 2/5 (40%) |
| Aerial duels won | 1/2 (50%) |
| Passes into final third | 6 |
| Defensive contributions | 7 |
From his stats, it is clear he struggled to win duels and could have offered more with his distribution into the final third. De Zerbi must find a solution ahead of Brighton.
Spurs must consider dropping Dominic Solanke after quiet Sunderland display
Dominic Solanke is another player who should be dropped this weekend after he struggled to make an impact in the final third for Tottenham against Sunderland.
The Spurs’ number nine barely had a kick of the ball and was a passenger for large spells, and with goals hard to come by in the last two games, such performances are not what the side needs at this stage of the season.
Speaking about his display, Jamie O’Hara was critical and even went as far as giving Solanke a match rating of zero.
The forward’s performance was dreadful last weekend, as he managed just 18 touches in 90 minutes, had just two shots, was dispossessed once and missed one big chance.
| Stat | Total |
|---|---|
| Touches | 18 |
| Shots on target | 2 |
| Shot accuracy | 2/3 (67%) |
| Accurate passes | 4/6 (67%) |
| Big chances missed | 1 |
| Touches in opposition box | 7 |
| Dispossessed | 1 |
| Ground duels won | 1/3 (33%) |
| Aerial duels won | 2/3 (67%) |
Tottenham should replace Randal Kolo Muani to add attacking threat
Another player who disappointed against Sunderland and should be dropped for the Brighton game is Randal Kolo Muani.
The Frenchman was De Zerbi’s solution to Mohammed Kudus’ injury, but he did not reach the level expected. While the two players are different, playing in that wide forward role demands creativity, direct running and a willingness to trouble defenders.
We did not see that from Muani, whose play was often too predictable while he struggled to complete take-ons.
Spurs’ attack looked blunt, largely due to a lack of creativity, and that is something De Zerbi must address against Brighton.
Replacing him with a natural winger such as Mathys Tel could improve that aspect of the attack, adding unpredictability and creativity.
| Stat | Total |
|---|---|
| Touches | 38 |
| Accurate passes | 10/17 (59%) |
| Successful dribbles | 1/5 (20%) |
| Passes into final third | 1 |
| Accurate crosses | 1/2 (50%) |
| Dispossessed | 1 |
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