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Tottenham vs West Brom: 5 key matchups

By Rucker Haringey

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 02: The Tottenham Hotspur players come out of the tunnel to warm up prior to kick off during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City at White Hart Lane on October 2, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 02: The Tottenham Hotspur players come out of the tunnel to warm up prior to kick off during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City at White Hart Lane on October 2, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images) /
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ENFIELD, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 13: Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino and Vincent Janssen during the Tottenham Hotspur training session at Tottenham Hotspur Training Centre on October 13, 2016 in Enfield, England. (Photo by Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images)
ENFIELD, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 13: Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino and Vincent Janssen during the Tottenham Hotspur training session at Tottenham Hotspur Training Centre on October 13, 2016 in Enfield, England. (Photo by Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images) /

3. Vincent Janssen vs. The West Brom centre backs

Some Tottenham fans may be surprised to see Janssen appear in this piece, but I believe it’s an excellent matchup for him. Look for the Dutch striker to be given every chance to succeed in relief of Son Heung-Min.

In a twist of irony, Janssen is just the sort of striker that Tony Pulis would like to have in his own squad. He doesn’t have much pace, but as Pochettino has said on many occasions, he’s a fighter. That makes him perfect for what should be a physical bout against the Baggies.

Spurs are going to see a lot of the ball, and it will be Janssen’s job to occupy the opposing centre backs. Jonny Evans and Gareth McAuley have done an excellent job getting opposing strikers quiet on the season. It’s a significant challenge for Janssen.

I have said this on many occasions, but Janssen doesn’t necessarily need to score to be productive on the afternoon. His ability to hold the ball up for his attacking teammates may be the key to unlocking the West Brom defense.

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