Tottenham are prepared to make a massive gamble at left back

Mauricio Pochettino has never been averse to taking a risk, but letting this Spurs star go out on loan would be a massive gamble for Tottenham.

It wasn’t very long ago that Danny Rose was one of the most important players at Tottenham. He considered Mauricio Pochettino to be a father figure after the gaffer turned him into the best left back in England. Evidently, those days are long gone.

Now Rose’s career at Spurs is hanging on by a thread. Reports from England claim the club are willing to let him go out on loan to another European club this month. Specifically, PSG is a place where the Englishman would like to try his luck. No move is imminent, but things could happen fast for Rose and Spurs within the next week.

Rose’s departure would leave Ben Davies as the only natural left back in Pochettino’s squad. He had an excellent campaign for Spurs last season, but he’s been shaky at best this year. The Welshman followed up a very suspect preseason with two below average performances against Newcastle and Fulham. Even so, it’s reasonable to think he can get back up to form as the season progresses.

Installing Davies at the starter isn’t a big risk. However, counting on Kyle Walker-Peters to be his primary backup is an entirely different matter. The young fullback has loads of talent, but he’s a naturally right-footed player. As such, he prefers to play as a right back.

Pochettino gave him several matches on the left during the preseason and the results were pretty mixed. As you might expect, Walker-Peters frequently tries to cut in from the left hand side to play the ball with his stronger foot. That greatly reduces the amount of width he can provide in attack. Given that his best talent is going forward with the ball, that should be a significant concern for the club.

Defensively, it’s less of an issue. Walker-Peters isn’t a great defender on either wing, but he’ll put in a lot of effort. Expect that to be the area where Pochettino spends most of his time drilling his young Englishman.

The most likely outcome if Rose leaves is that Tottenham will frequently play with three at the back. That will take the pressure off of Walker-Peters to defend down the left flank. It’s not an ideal situation for the club, but it’s a reality Pochettino is comfortable with. Time will tell if it works out in the long haul or if it needs to be corrected in January.