Sold by Levy: Poch’s Spurs revelation has been more creative than Maddison in 23/24
After high-profile hires like Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho failed, Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy made a 180-degree turn last summer and gave Ange Postecoglou the helm.
A few months earlier, Conte had been fired—the team’s fourth dismissal in as many years—and an eighth-place Premier League result had highlighted the need for change.
Angeball is far from perfect, and there have been setbacks along the way, but the team has improved under the Australian manager, with new players assimilating within the group and returning squad members from the previous slump.
The crop has been infected with creativity. Although Harry Kane was playing well the previous season, this was a problem that needed to be resolved. In fact, it was fixed early in Postecoglou’s tenure when he signed James Maddison for £40 million from Leicester City, who had been relegated.
The remainder of the team has also performed well. Pedro Porro, a right-back who joined at the halfway point of the 2022–2023 season, has advanced significantly as one of the Premier League’s most inventive full-backs.
But in reality, Kieran Trippier, a former Spurs player who has unquestionably emerged as one of Europe’s most significant wide defenders in recent years, has eclipsed him.
Spurs player Kieran Trippier’s tenure
Although Trippier has been criticism for a string of mistakes made in recent months at Newcastle United, he has been one of the most influential additions to English football in recent memory, and his greatest years came after joining Spurs.
In June 2015, Trippier was not very well-known, but Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino saw a chance and signed the 24-year-old to a lucrative £3.5 million release clause from Burnley, bringing him to White Hart Lane.
The five-foot-ten sensation would play 114 games for Tottenham, contributing 23 assists and two goals. However, he said that his last days there were filled with sadness as he felt more and more like a disposable player, which made him look for other opportunities.
| Kieran Trippiers’ Spurs PL Career by Season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Apps | Starts | Goals | Assists |
| 18/19 | 27 | 26 | 1 | 3 |
| 17/18 | 24 | 21 | 0 | 5 |
| 16/17 | 12 | 6 | 0 | 5 |
| 15/16 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| Source: WhoScored | ||||
In a 2019 interview with The Athletic, he stated: “What irritated me was that, two months prior to the season’s conclusion, Daniel (Levy, the chairman) was reportedly making offers to me from other teams. I know this for a fact, and this is what most incensed me.
“I knew my time there had to be up since I was certain that was what was occurring. Even though I was playing for my teammates and the fans, I knew I wasn’t welcome.”
In the summer of 2019, the defender made a permanent move to Atletico Madrid for an alleged cost of £25 million, indicating that Levy was eager to let him go.
After more than 100 club appearances, Trippier thought the chairman could have approached the situation differently or with more decency.
After Spurs, Kieran Trippier’s career
Trippier, who is 33 years old, has been instrumental in Newcastle’s comeback under Eddie Howe’s guidance. Since moving to Newcastle from Spain in 2022, he has put on some terrifying shows and taken on a major leadership position.
Trippier, who was called a “revelation” by talkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan, has been absolutely phenomenal, combining elite creativity with defensive tenacity to great effect. However, he has recently experienced a dip in form after being chastised by journalist Harry De Cosemo for some “disastrous” defensive performances over the winter.
However, Trippier has put in a great deal of work since taking over in north London. During his two and a half years at Atletico Madrid, where he played under Diego Simeone, he honed his defensive skills. In January 2022, he returned home as Newcastle got off to a strong start under the new, wealthy ownership.
More creative in 23/24 than James Maddison
Despite the summer departure of Kane, Tottenham now has a wealth of offensive talent. However, this hasn’t always been the case, and Trippier may have been a valuable addition to the team—especially considering that he’s actually been more inventive than Maddison this season.
The Magpie machine is unquestionably one of the best creators in the game; according to FBref, he ranks in the top 2% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues and European competitions over the previous year for assists and shot-creating actions, the top 4% for passes attempted, and the top 3% for progressive passes per 90.
| PL Stats 23/24: Kieran Trippier vs James Maddison | ||
|---|---|---|
| # | Trippier | Maddison |
| Matches played | 23 | 15 |
| Goals | 1 | 3 |
| Assists | 10 | 6 |
| Pass completion | 81% | 86% |
| Big chances created | 13 | 7 |
| Key passes per game | 2.7 | 2.7 |
| Tackles per game | 2.3 | 1.4 |
| Ball recoveries per game | 6.3 | 2.0 |
| *All stats sourced via Sofascore | ||
Trippier is matching Maddison in terms of crucial passes made per game, as seen by the chart above. He is also making more significant changes and offering more assists, while being a less frequent goal scorer—keep in mind that he is a defender by trade.
In addition, despite having participated in more games, Trippier is providing assists to his teammates at a rate of 0.43 per game, which is greater than that of his fellow England international, who provides assists at a rate of 0.40 per game.
Though it’s certainly crucial to keep in mind that the stars in question have somewhat distinct responsibilities, this just serves to highlight Trippier’s impressive output.
Although Trippier is nearing the end of his career, he has established himself as one of the most important playmakers in the game and one of Europe’s top right-backs since leaving Spurs. Postecoglou’s Tottenham brotherhood is steeped in flow and offensive desire.
While Maddison has been praised by The Times’ Henry Winter as “one of the best players of the season,” Trippier has actually surpassed him when considering the breadth of the creative metrics. Porro, on the other hand, is considerably younger and will (hopefully) be an important part of Postecoglou’s vision for years to come.
Nevertheless, considering his exceptional inventiveness this season compared to his countryman, Trippier would have been a priceless asset over the last several seasons. His influence on Tyneside suggests he may have played a key role in putting an end to the stalemate that has characterised the club’s previous years.
Read Also: Every game: Glenn Hoddle expresses worry involving Tottenham 27yr old after defeat to Wolves
Read Also: Heartbreaking: Outstanding Tottenham player suffers now new injury in another setback
Read Also: I’m very angry: 23yr old Tottenham player says he’s absolutely furious with his finishing
Read Also: Ange call backfires as £30M Tottenham star blasted Really Bad display today
Read Also: Exclusive: Tottenham absolutely concerned Postecoglou could quit soon
Read Also: I’m very angry: 23yr old Tottenham player says he’s absolutely furious with his finishing