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Tottenham news: Harry Winks to start v Arsenal?

By Rucker Haringey

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 29: Harry Winks of Tottenham Hotspur (C) shoots during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City at White Hart Lane on October 29, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 29: Harry Winks of Tottenham Hotspur (C) shoots during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City at White Hart Lane on October 29, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images) /
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Tottenham may start Harry Winks tomorrow

Before the year, you would have needed to search for and wide to find a Tottenham fan who expected Harry Winks to start a North London Derby this season. Perhaps some members of Winks’ family had that kind of optimism, but most fans would have considered it an extreme long shot.

With the crucial Derby just hours away, it now seems not only possible, but even likely that Winks may start for Spurs. Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino didn’t do anything to cool speculation about his potential involvement in the match yesterday. He complimented the way Winks has played this season and claims that “maybe” he’ll be in a position to start tomorrow’s match.

In fairness, injuries are the main reason Winks is in the frame for a start. Toby Alderweireld’s nerve injury has forced Pochettino into moving Eric Dier into the back four. Moussa Dembele’s recent knock has his availability in advance of the Derby very much in question. Even Moussa Sissoko, who could have theoretically slid back into the double pivot, is ineligible due to suspension.

That leaves only Victor Wanyama to patrol the middle of the park for Spurs. Pochettino could elect to deploy the Kenyan as a single defensive midfielder in a 4-1-4-1 formation. However, that could leave the club’s defense very exposed against a very dangerous Arsenal attack.

I suspect Pochettino would greatly prefer to play a more conservative 4-2-3-1 lineup tomorrow. If he does, the position alongside Wanyama can only be manned by Winks or Dele Alli. Remember, Alli first broke into the Spurs starting XI playing in that defensive role.

In my estimation, Spurs have been too starved for goals to risk moving Alli back in the lineup. He’s the club’s most creative attacking midfielder and needs to have the opportunity to find the back of the net. Playing him in the double-pivot would be too significant a blow for the Tottenham attack.

That leaves Winks as the last man standing to serve as Wanyama’s partner. If you’re thinking he isn’t ready for this sort of occasion, you certainly might be right. At just 20 years of age, he certainly doesn’t have much big match experience.

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However, ignorance could be bliss in this case. Winks might not really know enough to be intimidated by the occasion. The fact that he’s grown up as a Spurs fan might also give him a little extra edge due to the heated rivalry.

Harry Winks certainly wouldn’t be Tottenham’s first choice to start in tomorrow’s North London Derby, but Pochettino has never been afraid to go with youth. He could certainly turn to the young English midfielder to inject life into a moribund Spurs squad tomorrow.

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