If Tottenham Hotspur aren’t careful, they could find themselves on a serious winning streak after picking up their third Premier League victory on the bounce against Ipswich Town on Saturday.
However, instead of facing a newly promoted side tonight, the North Londoners have the small task of hosting Manchester City, who tore Newcastle United to pieces just a couple of weeks ago, courtesy of January signing Omar Marmoush.
The Egyptian dynamo was the most expensive signing across the Premier League last month and will undoubtedly be the dangerman tonight.
Fortunately, Postecoglou and Co made a few signings of their own before the window slammed shut, including one potential game-changer who could be his answer to Marmoush.
Why Spurs have to stop Marmoush
So, as things stand, there is a good chance that Erling Haaland will not be starting and possibly not even on the bench for the game tonight, which means Marmoush will likely lead the line for the visitors.
However, while that means more of the goalscoring responsibility will be on the Egyptian’s shoulders, he’d still be a serious danger for the Lilywhites if he started behind the Norwegian striker.
The reason for that is simple: Wherever he plays in attack, he’s a lean, mean scoring machine.
For example, in just 26 appearances, totalling 2071 minutes, for Eintracht Frankfurt this season, the Kairo-born dynamo racked up a sensational tally of 20 goals and 14 assists, which comes out to an average of 1.3 goal involvements every game, or one every 60.91 minutes.
Moreover, since moving to the Etihad, the 26-year-old has scored three goals in seven games, totalling 485 minutes, so his overall average for the season, despite switching clubs halfway through, is 1.12 goal involvements every game, or one every 69.08 minutes.
In short, Marmoush is an incredibly dangerous forward, and while Postecoglou might not have anyone quite as devastating, he does have a youngster who could become his own version of the Egyptian.
Spurs' answer to Marmoush
With Dejan Kulusevski and Brennan Johnson both on the scoresheet against Ipswich and racking up decent hauls this season, some might argue that either could be the Lilywhites’ answer to Marmoush, but not us.
Instead, the player who has to start against City tonight, and may well be Spurs’ version of the Egyptian, is Mathys Tel.
Now, we know the youngster has not been anywhere near as effective as the City ace this season, but there are a few similarities between the two players.
Appearances
33
33
13
Goals
7
5
4
Assists
5
1
1
Goal Involvements per Match
0.36
0.18
0.38
The first is that while they’d likely prefer to start straight down the middle, they are also more than capable of starting anywhere across the frontline, with the young Frenchman actually spending as much time off the left as he did as a striker for Bayern Munich.
That takes us to the second similarity: both attackers have made the move to the Premier League from Bundesliga sides, with Marmoush coming from Frankfurt and Tel from FC Hollywood.
Finally, while he’s not had a heap of luck in front of goal this season, the North Londoners’ new “generational” talent, as described by the club themselves, proved that he could be every bit as prolific as Pep Guardiola’s new star last season.
For example, in just 1406 minutes of first-team football across 41 appearances, the Sarcelles-born dynamo racked up an outrageously impressive haul of ten goals and six assists.
Appearances
41
Starts
10
Minutes
1406′
Goals
10
Assists
6
Goal Involvements per Match
0.39
Minutes per Goal Involvement
87.87′
That means the 19-year-old prodigy maintained a phenomenal average of a goal involvement every 2.56 games, or every 87.87 minutes.
Ultimately, Tel might not be as dangerous as Marmoush at this moment in time, but from what we saw of him last season and in glimpses this year, there is every chance he could be in the future.
Therefore, Postecoglou has to make sure he starts tonight’s game with the likes of James Maddison and Wilson Odobert settling for places on the bench again.
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