Tom Carroll
Remember the baby-faced midfielder who Tim Sherwood once claimed had the talent to play at Barcelona? He’d be pretty easy for you to forget about since he’s played a grand total of one minute in the league this year.
The reality is that Carroll isn’t good enough to play at Tottenham. The truthful answer is that Pochettino and company should find him a new home in January. They’d be much better off spending their valuable time on a player who could actually help the senior team in time.
If Spurs actually believe they can use Carroll this season, they need to abandon the idea that he can function as a defensive midfielder. If he has any chance of making it at Tottenham, it’s going to be as an attacking midfielder. Playing further forward could allow Carroll to use his sublime passing ability to unlock the opposition.
Unfortunately, that’s just a pipe dream. He doesn’t have the size or athleticism to create enough space to use his passing gifts. It’s time for Carroll to find his level. That doesn’t include a future at White Hart Lane.