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Tottenham tactics: Who would be the best starting XI for Spurs if every star was healthy?

By Rucker Haringey

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 02: Kyle Walker of Tottenham Hotspur walks out of the tunnel during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City at White Hart Lane on October 2, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 02: Kyle Walker of Tottenham Hotspur walks out of the tunnel during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City at White Hart Lane on October 2, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 18: Adnan Januzaj of Sunderland (L) is put under pressure from Mousa Dembele of Tottenham Hotspur (R) during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland at White Hart Lane on September 18, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 18: Adnan Januzaj of Sunderland (L) is put under pressure from Mousa Dembele of Tottenham Hotspur (R) during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland at White Hart Lane on September 18, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) /

The Defensive Midfielder-Moussa Dembele

Once I made the choice to go with a 4-1-4-1 formation, finding the right spot for Moussa Dembele became my biggest challenge. The talented Belgian had to be somewhere in the starting XI, but it could have easily been slightly further up the pitch.

Instead I opted to go with Dembele as the line up’s lone defensive midfielder. You can make a strong case for Victor Wanyama in this spot, but Dembele’s versatility ultimately gave him the edge.

He’s the one defensive midfielder who can both break up defensive play and carry the ball forward. Even in this more attacking formation, that talent will be crucial for Spurs’ success. The idea is that Dembele would frequently interchange with Eriksen and Dele in the attacking midfield two.

Aside from Wanyama, Eric Dier will also feel hard done by this decision. The truth is the Englishman just hasn’t played well this season. Until he’s able to recover his form, he’s best utilized as a substitute.

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