After the incredible highs of smashing Manchester City 4-0 at the Etihad, last week was a real downer for Tottenham Hotspur.
First, the North Londoners drew at home to Serie A side AS Roma, and while that's not necessarily the end of the world, it was the manner in which it happened that hurt the most, a last-minute equaliser after having ample chances to put the game to bed earlier.
Then, despite taking the lead once again and being a man up for the last 15 minutes or so, they drew with Fulham in the Premier League, which was the fourth game in all competitions that the club have dropped points at home this season.
Spurs' recent results
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Europa League
Premier League
Premier League
Europa League
Via Sky Sports
So, with a game away to the high-flying Bournemouth to come tonight, Ange Postecoglou has plenty of decisions to make, and one of those is dropping arguably the team's best performer from Sunday afternoon.
Spurs' best performer against Fulham
So, the truth is that the list of best performers on Sunday afternoon for Spurs is tiny, with perhaps only a few names on it.
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However, one of those names is certainly Timo Werner, who actually looked reasonably effective at times, providing the assist for Brennan Johnson in the second half, creating two big chances and earning himself a 6/10 match rating from journalist Alasdair Gold, who claimed he was the 'most threatening of the front three.'
Yet, if Postecoglou wants to give his team the best chance of picking up all three points against the Cherries this evening, he must boldly drop the German international, for as good as he was, he still wasn't good enough to help his team win the game.
werner-spurs
Moreover, while his form has certainly improved in recent weeks, the former Chelsea ace still has the capacity to seriously underwhelm when it matters most, and his tally of one goal and three assists in 16 appearances this season is hardly good enough to demand his continued selection, especially not when there were far more dangerous players on the bench against the Cottagers.
The player Ange must start vs Bournmouth
So, with Johnson being his most effective off the right and Son Heung-min being even more disappointing than Werner against Fulham, the ideal candidate to start off the left against Bournemouth is Dejan Kulusevski.
Kulusevski-Spurs
Now, it's certainly true that he's more experienced off the right, but with his Welsh teammate now a nailed-on starter in his old position and there being few, if any, genuine options off the left, it almost feels like the manager must start the Swede there.
Moreover, the former Juventus star is undoubtedly one of the club's most technically gifted and naturally talented players and has some experience playing off the left from his time in Italy.
Furthermore, as talent scout Jacek Kulig points out, the 24-year-old is an absolutely "world-class" player, and as this season has shown us, he's more than capable of transitioning to a new position within the team.
For example, of his nine goal involvements this season, the Stockholm-born maestro has produced seven of them from midfield, showing that he is incredibly adaptable.
Kulusevski's form in 24/25
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Goal Involvements per Match
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All Stats via Transfermarkt
Ultimately, if Postecoglou wants to give himself and his team the best chance of winning tonight, he needs to ensure he's starting his best and most inform players, which means Kulusevski simply has to start, even if its off the left.
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