Tottenham get massive injury boost ahead of Watford clash
Tottenham continue to get fitter as time goes by. Mauricio Pochettino has recently welcomed one of his key midfielders back into training.
Mousa Dembele was able to play 90 minutes of quality football at Manchester United, but he can’t be expected to repeat that feat on a weekly basis. That’s why getting more healthy midfielder is a crucial factor in Tottenham’s ability to stay near the top of the Premier League table.
Fortunately, Pochettino’s team continues to get healthier and healthier in the heart of the pitch. Last week Harry Winks returned to the squad, and Spurs are getting an even larger (literally) player back this week. Various reports from England claim Victor Wanyama has now joined first team training with no restrictions.
The Kenyan’s return to the squad will give Pochettino even more tactical flexibility than he’s enjoyed over the season’s first three matches. Specifically, Wanyama is a player who can perform equally well as a single defensive midfielder or in the double-pivot. That versatility should allow him to get back into the match day 18 straight away.
#thfc Josh Onomah, Georges-kevin N’Koudou, Alfie Whiteman and now fit Victor Wanyama all trained with the first team squad today at Hotspur Way.
— Lilywhite Rose (@Lilywhite_Rose) August 30, 2018
That does not mean, however, that Wanyama is going to immediately jump back into Pochettino’s starting XI. It’s much more likely that he’ll be on the bench at Watford this weekend. It’s highly unlikely he has the stamina to run for a full 90 minutes during his first week back with the first team.
His ability to stay healthy over the long haul is a much bigger concern for Spurs. Dembele is almost assuredly going to miss a significant stretch of time due to injury at some point this season. It’s possible Winks will miss some match time too due to his small frame. That leaves Wanyama and Eric Dier as the only two defensive midfielders that Pochettino can reasonably expect to stay healthy for the entire campaign.
Next. Spurs are making progress with Alderweireld. dark
Tottenham’s hope is that Wanyama can regain the form that made him an above average Premier League starter two seasons ago. If that happens, Spurs may have enough depth in the squad to compete with the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool all season long. No matter how you spin it, Wanyama getting healthy is a big boost for Tottenham.