Oliver Skipp gives Tottenham something Harry Winks doesn’t
Oliver Skipp isn’t necessarily a better player than Harry Winks, but he does give Tottenham something they desperately need.
Mauricio Pochettino’s midfield has been a bit of a revolving door this season. Injuries have hampered Tottenham more in the middle of the pitch than anywhere else. Fortunately, Spurs’ Academy continues to churn out young midfielders capable of helping the first team.
Oliver Skipp and Harry Winks are the two more recent examples of Tottenham’s midfield pipeline. In some ways it’s unfair to compare the two players, but it is inevitable. It’s very likely the two will be competing against one another for playing time at Spurs for years to come.
Admittedly, it’s dangerous to judge too much about Skipp after just one Premier League start. His 75 minutes against Burnley were solid, but they weren’t extraordinary. Still, many English pundits are already starting to wonder how much Skipp might play moving forward.
One thing that Skipp showed against the Clarets gives him a decided advantage over Winks. Namely, the 18-year-old starlet shows real bravery when he looks to pass the ball forward. Winks does a great job of keeping the ball moving in the middle of the park, but he tends to pass the ball laterally or backwards. That allows him to really take care of possession, but it’s not necessarily the best way to create scoring chances.
If Skipp can continue to play dangerous passes forward from the double-pivot he’s got a chance to play a meaningful role this season. Showing that much aggression might lower his pass completion stats, but it’s exactly what Tottenham need to break down certain opponents.
After all, Pochettino’s squad is blessed with quite a few attackers who are capable of getting behind opposing defenders. That isn’t Harry Kane’s only way of creating chances, but it’s something he does quite well. More interestingly, it’s exactly what Lucas Moura and Dele Alli want to do every match. The emergence of a deep-lying playmaker capable of providing quality through balls can significantly increase their scoring output.
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Our analysis of Skipp’s game is absolutely premature, but don’t be surprised to see him get several more starts as the season progresses. His bravery and willingness to play the ball forward separate him from Winks and the rest of Pochettino’s defensive midfielders.