Tottenham need to find match time for Marcus Edwards

By Rucker Haringey | Feb 18, 2017

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 05: Marcus Edwards of Tottenham Hotspur battles with Connor Randall of Liverpool during the Premier League 2 match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on February 5, 2017 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images) /

Marcus Edwards has the talent to jump-start Tottenham

It’s plain to see that Tottenham are missing some verve and purpose in the final third at the moment. The Spurs attack was pretty listless at Gent on Thursday. That means it’s time for Mauricio Pochettino to throw Marcus Edwards into the lineup.

Some might say it’s too early to insert the English starlet into the lineup. I would tell those same people they haven’t been watching Tottenham closely enough as of late. Pochettino needs to do whatever he can to provide the club with energy and excitement at the moment.

There’s no better way to do that than by putting the club’s most exciting prospect onto the pitch. He’s the only member of the current squad that really has the capability to lift the mood around White Hart Lane.

In reality, it’s not as if Pochettino has much to lose at this juncture. He gave Moussa Sissoko the start on Thursday and the French International was horrible. Edwards would struggle to play any worse than he did at Gent. I suppose he could provide less effort on the defensive end of the pitch, but he’d surely provide more of an offensive threat.

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This Sunday represents a perfect opportunity to test Edwards in a tough environment. Playing at Fulham is a tricky fixture for Spurs at the very least. The FA Cup encounter would provide a terrific laboratory for Pochettino to experiment with Edwards.

At the very least, he should be a prominent option for Pochettino off the substitute’s bench moving forward. He lacks the physicality to play in some matches, but his ability to glide all over the pitch with the ball at his feet could be a catalyst for the Tottenham attack. Presently, the club lack any attacking presence on the bench with the ability to transform a match.

That’s a lot to ask from a prospect of Edwards age and experience level. I understand that. I also understand that Edwards has world-class talent. The nice thing about players with his sort of talent is they tend to flourish when they are given challenging opportunities. If Edwards is going to become a special player, the quicker he’s given meaningful first team action the better.

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I don’t really think Pochettino will include Edwards on Sunday, but it’s a real shame. He may be the only attacker on the squad brave enough to kick-start Tottenham’s season.

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