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Tottenham’s new signing unlocks Alderweireld’s full potential

By Rucker Haringey

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 05: Toby Alderweireld of Tottenham Hotspur during the Pre-Season Friendly match between Tottenham Hotspur and Juventus on August 5, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 05: Toby Alderweireld of Tottenham Hotspur during the Pre-Season Friendly match between Tottenham Hotspur and Juventus on August 5, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images) /
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Tottenham haven’t seen the best of Toby Alderweireld yet

Mauricio Pochettino raised a few eyebrows with his decision to start Davinson Sanchez in the middle of his back three against Everton. The truth is that the arrival of the Colombian star is going to finally allow Toby Alderweireld to show Spurs fans the full range of his prolific skill set.

Inserting Sanchez into the starting XI was a bit of a surprise, but allowing him to move Alderweireld out of his customary centre back position was a shock. The Belgian defender has been Spurs’ top defender since his arrival from Atletico Madrid two seasons ago. Messing with something that’s working so well is usually a bad idea for a manager.

Mauricio Pochettino is nothing if not bold. Sanchez has only been in England for two weeks, but clearly he’s earned his manager’s trust. He put in an excellent performance in his first start. His physical play in front of goal was a big reason why Tottenham were able to dispatch Everton with such ease.

The record-breaking acquisition of Sanchez isn’t just a defensive move though. Ironically, it might end up boosting the Spurs attack even more. Sanchez’s presence can do that by freeing Alderweireld to be a more integral of Tottenham’s troops when they’re going forward.

Outside of Christian Eriksen, there may not be a better passer in Pochettino’s squad than Alderweireld. His long diagonals are a thing of beauty when he’s on his game. He also is an underrated dribble of the ball. Alderweireld can make decisive moves forward to take on opposing defenders. Previously, he’s been hesitant to really get forward in attack due to his defensive responsibilities.

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Now, Alderweireld has a world-class athlete playing next to him in central defense. There might not be a central defender in the Premier League with as much pace as the new Spurs signing. His foot speed gives him a chance to cover up for Alderweireld if the opposition wins the ball with the Belgian out of position.

As the relationship between Alderweireld and Sanchez improves with time, expect to see Alderweireld take more and more chances. It may not be all that noticeable immediately, but over time it could impact Pochettino’s attack greatly. Imagine how much of a luxury the club will enjoy with Alderweireld joining the attack when the opponent parks the bus against Spurs. His ability to carry the ball forward in search of a long diagonal could also help Tottenham hit opponents on the break. Ultimately, it makes Pochettino’s attack much more dynamic and unpredictable.

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Davinson Sanchez was brought to North London to help reinforce the Tottenham defense. Don’t sleep on the impact he’ll have on Toby Alderweireld though. Freeing his Belgian teammate up to join the attack could provide Spurs attack a massive boost as well.

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