Ange could solve Spurs Werner blow by handing teen superstar his senior debut – opinion

Ange Postecoglou would gratify many fans if he made this brave decision…

Spurs are an imperfect squad. Daniel Levy understands this, as does Ange Postecoglou. Despite losing consecutive Premier League matches, which hampered the club’s effort to qualify for the Champions League, Levy will remain satisfied that his choice to hire Postecoglou last year was justified.

Tottenham are fifth in the rankings, with two games in hand and just six points behind fourth-place Aston Villa, but they still play Chelsea and Liverpool away from home, as well as Manchester City in north London.

However, even if the club fails to qualify for Europe’s elite next year, the progress achieved under new management should not be overlooked, as this emerging team has all the characteristics of a potential enterprise that is still in its early stages.

Postecoglou’s expansive, free-flowing style of football won fans over immediately at the start of the season, but inconsistencies and injuries have since harmed his success, which saw him become the first manager to win the Manager of the Month award in each of his first three months in the Premier League.

The newest addition to the never-ending injury list is pacy winger Timo Werner, who suffered a hamstring injury in Sunday’s defeat to the Gunners and was replaced after 31 minutes.

Werner joined Spurs on loan from RB Leipzig in January, with the option to make the signing permanent for £15 million. He has scored two goals and provided three assists in 10 Premier League starts, stating “I love it here” during one post-match interview.

Timo Werner is in action for Tottenham.
With travels to Chelsea and Liverpool in the English Premier League this week, Postecoglou will most certainly need to change the squad, with Werner starting the last five games – but who may replace him?

1) The obvious decision.
Brennan Johnson

Most Lilywhites fans wanted Brennan Johnson to start over Werner against Arsenal, since he has a fleet-footed style but has also found more, richer potency in front of goal this season, particularly in recent months.

Signed from Nottingham Forest for a stunning £47.5 million last summer, the Wales international is proving to be a valuable asset, with lots of potential for growth but plenty of ways to irritate Tottenham’s opponents.

Dan Cook, a content producer known as ‘HLTCO’ on X (previously Twitter), summed up Johnson’s skill set well, stating, “Brennan Johnson is such an exciting player to watch.” He has a scary speed and directness; he’s always hunting for something to happen; defending against him must be a nightmare.”

While Johnson is usually seen on the right side, his two-footedness makes him a threat wherever he is played, and he might be the top candidate to replace his German counterpart at Stamford Bridge on Thursday.

Tactical adjustments
Heung-Min Son

Next up is Heung-min Son, whose return to the left side would not be a revelation down N17, but given that he has only started out wide twice in 2024, it would be a tactical change.

Tottenham’s long-time star has been in excellent form this season, scoring 16 goals and providing nine assists in 30 Premier League games and playing a key role in his club’s recovery under new management.

Of course, with Harry Kane not immediately replaced as the primary frontman at the start of Postecoglou’s rule, Son is required at centre-forward, albeit Richarlison is vying for a return from the start, and his magnificent purple patch earlier in 2024 demonstrates his skill as an efficient forward.

According to FBref, the Spurs captain is in the top 2% of forwards in Europe’s top five leagues for assists over the last year, the top 11% for shot-creating actions, the top 7% for progressive passes, the top 3% for pass completeness, and the top 6% for progressive carries per 90 minutes.

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This season, only Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes outperform the South Korean star in terms of big-chance generation, and Son is one of the most dynamic players in the industry.

Son may be one of the Premier League’s most dangerous finishers, but he can compete with the best in terms of playmaking and directing the flow of play.

Perhaps playing Tottenham’s best striker in his natural position to compensate for Werner’s absence is the better option – who would have thought?

Michael Moore, an academy star

The wildcard. The next big thing. England’s most promising talent. That last statement is undoubtedly subjective, but 16-year-old Mikey Moore has been training with Tottenham’s first team and will be eager to make his professional debut before the season ends.

This season, the explosive attacker has been in incredible form at junior level, scoring 16 goals and assisting nine times for his teammates in only 14 appearances between the U18 Premier League and FA junior Cup.

Moore has been described as a “superstar” by Fabrizio Romano. It’s risky to throw too much praise on a teenager before they’ve even dipped their toes into the senior stage, but Moore’s age-defying brilliance makes it difficult not to get thrilled if you’re wearing lily white.

Moore, a stunning ball-carrier with a ferocious strike and balletic movements, is regularly included in the senior training squad, indicating the high regard in which he is held, and he may find himself unleashed in upcoming fixtures if Werner fails to recover quickly from his hamstring injury.

Moore, who is usually positioned centrally for Spurs but has had prolific success on the left flank for England, scoring a hat-trick against Croatia U17s last time out, has the built-in athleticism and natural swagger to propel him to the front of the pack, and Postecoglou may decide to unleash his starlet at the end of the season.

It may be just the beginning.

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