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Has Tom Carroll saved his Tottenham career?

By Rucker Haringey

Jul 19, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Thomas Carroll (28) shoots a goal shot during pre game warm ups prior to the game against the Seattle Sounders FC at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 19, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Thomas Carroll (28) shoots a goal shot during pre game warm ups prior to the game against the Seattle Sounders FC at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports /
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The midfielder seems to be back in the Spurs’ plans after his recent run of form

Only a short time ago I would have told you that Tom Carroll was on his way out of Tottenham in the January transfer window. The lightweight midfielder didn’t seem to have a place in Mauricio Pochettino’s side and a move away from North London seemed to be best for all involved. Now, as he gets a start at Vicerage Road against Watford it’s fair to ask if he’s saved his Tottenham career.

The short is answer is that Carroll has, for now, managed to do enough to remain at Tottenham. I don’t think that his long-term lily-white future is necessarily assured, but his future looks a lot brighter than it did a few short weeks ago. At 23 years of age it’s time for him to become more of a player and less of a prospect. Over the past couple of matches he’s managed to do that.

First, there was the scintillating performance versus Monaco in the Europa League. He was a key component in the Spurs attack that scored four goals including one of his own. Still, many fans, myself included, were skeptical. It was just a Europa League game and we’ve all been fooled by watching one of Tottenham’s squad players have a great game in that competition before.

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That’s what makes his last two appearances for the club so important. Neither has been a tour de force, but he’s come on as a substitute against Newcastle and Norwich and looked the part of a Premier League player in both matches. Many fans criticized his appearance against Newcastle, but I don’t think he was at fault for the collapse. He simply came on the pitch at the wrong time.

On the other hand, he was excellent by all accounts against Norwich. Yes, he scored a fantastic goal but it was about more than that. He showed that he could fit in Pochettino’s system as a player who could work hard pressing the ball. The big question about Carroll isn’t whether or not he has the skill to score an occasional goal, it’s whether or not he has the physicality and drive to compete in the Premier League. Over the last several weeks he’s at least shown that he has the drive and mindset that Pochettino covets.

While that mindset change is quite encouraging, I’m still not sure it will be enough to keep Carroll at the club long-term. If he wants to really cement a place he’s going to have to beat out the likes of Christian Eriksen and Son Hueng-Min for playing time. I think his spindly frame is going to make that an uphill battle for the Tottenham Academy product. Still, he should be applauded for his mental change that’s given him a chance to stay at White Hart Lane.

It’s just another example of Mauricio Pochettino getting the very best out of a player. Only time will tell if it’s enough to keep Tom Carroll at Spurs.

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