Recently, Mauricio Pochettino announced that he would play with just one holding midfielder. Whilst the role could be shared between competitions, does there have to be a first choice for this position?
The Spurs Holding Midfielder Conundrum
Eric Dier
Eric Dier’s transformation is owed to his ability to adapt to positional changes, from centre-back, to right-back, to holding midfielder. Last season, he was the first name on the team sheet for good reason. His ability to play across the defence makes him the ideal candidate for the role. This is because a good holding midfielder has to be able to cover his centre-backs. With marauding full backs such as Kyle Walker and Danny Rose, Dier plays a vital role in holding the defensive formation together with Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld.
In addition, he reads the game well and uses his pace and acceleration to shut down opponents quickly. This ability to change direction in closing opponents down is so vital. Whilst Victor Wanyama and Mousa Dembélé aren’t exactly immobile, they lack the fluid agility that Dier has.
Victor Wanyama
Victor Wanyama is exceptionally strong in the air or on the ground. Any fifty-fifty challenges are turned into crunching tackles by the Kenyan midfield destroyer. His key asset is his strength, so much so that he even stands out in such a physical league. But, he also has good ball control and good ball retention. This is because of his tendency to keep his passes short and simple. Whilst this may not directly lead to goals, he is the player that often starts the chain of passes. For example, he acts as the cog that switches the play across the pitch. He may not be the one whipping in the cross, but he is just as vital in creating the opportunity for that to happen.
In terms of ball distribution from an attacking sense however, he is lacking compared to Dier and Dembélé. Keeping the ball is important, but sometimes a Dier long ball or a Dembélé dribble can enforce change upon the match. There have been glimpses of Wanyama surging forward or making a clever forward pass, but Dembélé and Dier have been more consistent in showing this.
Mousa Dembélé
Sidelined by injury, Spurs desperately miss Dembélé in midfield. It is difficult to decide where in the midfield he is most missed. His dribbling, tackling and shooting could place him in three different midfield positions. The team have more wins and more goals when he is in the team, which is no coincidence.
In a 4-2-3-1 formation, Dembélé is always one of two holding midfielders, which gives him the freedom to venture forward whilst retaining a key defensive role. However, transitioning to just one holding midfielder continues to give him attacking freedom. Therefore, he is not the best candidate for the defensive role, as instead he should be one of the more offensive midfielders. Here, his ability to breeze past players with ease can have the most effect.
Who Should Start as Holding Midfielder?
Overall, it would seem that Dier should be the preferred sole holding midfielder. This is because of his defensive experience, complemented by his speed and forward play. But, Pochettino has plenty of cover for the position in Wanyama and Dembélé. This will allow for the rotation of this vital position, ensuring fatigue is not a factor over another potentially long season. All three players have the quality to play in either Premier League or Champions League matches, but Eric Dier appears best placed to be Pochettino’s first choice as a holding midfielder.
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