Tottenham projected XI at Rochdale: Son rises to the top

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TURIN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 12: Harry Winks of Tottenham Hotspur trains during the Tottenham Hotspur FC Training Session ahead of there UEFA Champions League Round of 16 match against Juventus at Allianz Stadium on February 12, 2018 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) /

Defensive midfielder-Harry Winks

It seems like forever since Tottenham fans have seen Harry Winks on the pitch. Fortunately, it seems that he’s finally healthy enough to get a start from Pochettino. This FA Cup fixture is a perfect way for him to demonstrate his fitness to his manager.

My biggest concern with Winks in this matchup is that he’ll try to do too much. He’s certainly anxious to catch his manager’s eye and that might lead him to take unnecessary risks. Winks needs to stay calm and trust his quality and industry to be sufficient to get him back into Pochettino’s Premier League squad.

Defensive midfielder-Victor Wanyama

The best news Winks can hear about this match is that he’ll have Wanyama deployed beside him. The physical Kenyan has a terrific ability to erase any mistakes in the Tottenham midfield.

Much like with Alderweireld, Wanyama needs to show Pochettino that he’s fit enough to play the full 90 minutes without too much trouble. As usual, his principal task will be to shield the back four. Pochettino and company will hope that isn’t too laborious against an inferior opponent.

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