Tottenham projected XI v Barnsley: Which starlets will get their chance?

Attacking Midfielder-Dele Alli

Much like Vertonghen, Dele’s Champions League suspension places him into this starting XI. He missed out against Dortmund and won’t make the trip to APOEL either. The match against Barnsley gives the talented midfielder a good chance to build some match sharpness.

Curiously, his recent level of play has drawn the ire of thousands of Spurs fans. I agree that Dele hasn’t been great, but his “poor play” has been largely overblown. He’s never been the world’s most complete player.

When he scores, he plays well. When he fails to find the back of the net, he can be decidedly mediocre. He should be able to find his feet against the Championship opposition on Tuesday.

Attacking Midfielder-Georges-Kevin N’Koudou

There might not be a player with more at stake on Tuesday than Georges-Kevin N’Koudou. He built some real momentum during the preseason but an injury just before the Burnley match has prevented him from turning that momentum into actual playing time.

Pochettino will be keen to see if he can make a real, tangible impact against Barnsley. If he can add some real end product to his electric pace he could grow into an excellent change-of-pace for his manager. If he doesn’t put in a quality effort against the Tykes, he may find himself sold in January.

Attacking Midfielder-Tashan Oakley-Boothe

My apologies for all of you who were hoping to see Marcus Edwards’ name appear here. I, like you, would like to see him get an opportunity, but it’s clear Pochettino prefers Oakley-Boothe.

It’s not as if Oakley-Boothe isn’t an exciting prospect. He’s still just 17-years-old and he’s earned Pochettino’s trust enough to make the bench on several occasions. It’s only logical that he should receive an opportunity to start this match. Still, he’ll need to put in a quality shift or he could easily find himself behind Edwards as the year progresses.