Will Tottenham Hotspur regret letting Ryan Fredericks go after his departure to Bristol City? The first answer would be: no. Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier currently occupy the right-back berth. However, delving deeper into the question could reveal some doubts about the sale of Fredericks.
Fredericks never properly established himself in the first team, instead spending time out on loan, including his last loan to Middlesbrough. Interestingly, Fredericks made an average of 2.65 tackles per game which was higher than Walker (1.95) and also Trippier (1.50). Arguably, the perhaps more rugged and physical nature of the Championship contributes to a greater number of tackles. The 22-year-old committed a smaller number of fouls than Walker on average (0.65 to Walker’s one foul per game), but was trumped by Trippier’s 0.45 fouls committed on average. The statistics seem to indicate Fredericks is in and around the same level of his two ex-colleagues, but, without playing in the Premier League, no true conclusions can be made from statistics alone.
Even if Walker and Trippier were to be discounted, Spurs have a promising next generation of right-back. Kyle Walker-Peters, for example, is one such example. He is even capable at left back, where he featured in the post-season Malaysia Tour. Fans would agree that he put in some assuring performances, even if it was against some perhaps weak opposition. Joe Muscatt and Christopher Paul are two more examples of promising Spurs right-backs.
So really, Fredericks was surplus to requirements; not at all in the financial sense, but in terms of game time. Fredericks would have been knocking on the first team door after perhaps one or two more loan spells. By that time, Walker and Trippier would both be at the peak of their game, whilst Fredericks would hope to get his first taste of regular Premier League action. Fredericks would also hold up the progress of the aforementioned Walker-Peters, Muscatt and Paul. Therefore, it makes more sense that Fredericks has been let go now, rather than later. It was an inevitable sale after Trippier arrived. Although, Fredericks seemed to take up more of a wing-back role and brought something different to the pitch. This would seem to suit Mauricio Pochettino’s tactics of overlapping full-backs. But, again returning to Walker and Trippier, both players are able to overlap and attack, further emphasising that Fredericks doesn’t seem important.
Bristol City will compete in the Championship next season, after storming League One. Fredericks will be a good fit for the club. The transfer does seem to suggest that Spurs won’t miss a Championship quality player, but for how long Fredericks remains at that level is still be to be witnessed. He may well just push into the Premier League, where a reunion with Spurs could prove to be an interesting affair indeed.
To summarise, Fredericks won’t be missed by Spurs. Trippier and Walker are reaching their peaks and there are plenty of youthful right-backs yet to blossom in reserve. Some fans may have marked him for a promising player after his Europa League debut, but clearly it wasn’t to be.
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