It’s been 72 days, and although it felt a bit more like 72 years, Tottenham have finally appointed a manager.
The arrival of Nuno Espirito Santo has not been met with general recognition, but someone is now in the excavation, and it’s much better than hearing the people you think are extremely boring do the same ‘I have rejected the Tottenham job’ joke day after day in two months. No you did not. You were not offered the Tottenham job. Stop messing around.
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It may not be the most captivating football experience, but there are a number of Spurs players who stand to benefit from his appointment. We are 3-4-3 ultras now, get used to it!
An exact representation of Doherty’s debut season in Tottenham / Dan Mullan / Getty Images
Let’s start with an obvious one.
Doherty’s first season at Tottenham did not go very well. He was one of a number of players who suffered as a result of Jose Mourinho’s lack of tactics. The former Chelsea boss would have pulled out “his body with my brain” tap if he had not used it a few years ago with Luke Shaw.
Thankfully, Nuno knows how to use Doherty. Serge Aurier is on his way out and Japhet Tanganga will probably be used as a back-up alternative, so now the right-back seat is Irish.
Sessegnon spent the season at Hoffenheim developing an evil beard / Daniel Kopatsch / Getty Images
Sessegnon’s case at Tottenham is interesting.
He scored his first goal for the club in the Champions League against Bayern Munich but played only 12 matches before being sent on loan to the Bundesliga with Hoffenheim.
17 starts last season will have done wonders for the 21-year-old’s development, and hopefully he will be kept in the Spurs squad as an alternative to Sergio Reguilon at left back.
Rodon impressed at Euro 2020 / Eurasia Sport Images / Getty Images
If you watched any of Rodon at Euro 2020, it will probably have become clear that he is definitely one of Tottenham’s best midfielders.
Last season, Eric Dier and Davinson Sanchez got more playing time than Welsh – perhaps understandable given that it was his first experience of the Premier League, but less understandable that he went away from the aforementioned pair’s consistent desire for chaos in defense.
Rodon was not perfect in his eight league starts, but a season of more regular football should result in more consistent performances from the former Swansea midfielder.
Nuno’s counterattack style could benefit Lo Celso / James Williamson – AMA / Getty Images
Tottenham have not completely unlocked the player they thought they bought at Lo Celso after his brilliant season at La Liga with Real Betis, but that is not to say he has not impressed.
Injuries and constant rotation meant that the 25-year-old only made 18 league appearances and last year he received more praise for his straight midfield presence than any attacking flamboyancy.
However, Nuno’s Wolves did not have a good day today, often losing his footing on the muddy pitch. Hopefully, the Argentine can get a season free from injuries under his belt and start increasing his goal contributions.
Dele returned to the Tottenham team under Ryan Mason / Visionhaus / Getty Images
Right. That’s enough. We want the old Dele back.
In fact, it is difficult to know whether the England international will fit into Nuno’s regular starting XI. There are Lo Celso, Tanguy Ndombele and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg who all play in central positions, so it will be a big issue to give them all playing time.
Regardless, his minutes should shoot up from the 619 he got in the league last season, and hopefully he will not fall victim to any weird battering campaign from his new boss.
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