Moussa Sissoko has been a player whom Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has coveted; a player he has trusted. Yet, many Spurs fans have mercilessly trolled the player on social media and questioned his presence as a Spurs regular. Sissoko’s attitude and application has never waivered and, against Chelsea on Saturday at Wembley, he showed just what it is Pochettino sees in the strong midfielder.
Spurs’ Surprise Package – Moussa Sissoko is the Vital Piece of the Jigsaw
With Moussa Dembele sidelined until early 2019 and Victor Wanyama struggling for any sort of fitness, Spurs have a hole in their midfield. Harry Winks has played well when called upon but it is Moussa Sissoko who is becoming a vital part of Pochettino’s squad.
Fans have not always appreciated his endeavours but it could not be said that he does not give 100% every time he pulls on the Spurs shirt. He does look cumbersome at times, a bit like an octopus with legs and arms flailing. Some of his shooting has been awkward at best and he has not appeared to stand out from a very talented crowd around him.
In Poch the Players Trust
Pochettino is not the kind of manager to listen to what people tell him he should do. If he believes in a player, he believes that they are picked because he knows they add something to the team dynamic. Against Crystal Palace, Moussa Sissoko went on a mazy run that had he scored could have been a goal of the season contender. Palace defenders bounced off him and no one could get the ball away from his feet. It was a sign of the drive to get forward he has.
Heung Min-Son, Harry Kane and Dele Alli got all of the headlines after the Chelsea victory. Yet, Moussa Sissoko was arguably at the very heart of everything Tottenham did well. He competed for four challenges and won every single one. Strong, robust but fair. On Twitter, Spurs Stat man tweeted Sissoko’s stats:
Moussa Sissoko vs. Chelsea:
82.9% pass accuracy (29/35)
100% tackles won (4)
10 ball recoveries
1 chance created— Spurs Stat Man (@SpursStatMan) November 24, 2018
These are stats that N’Golo Kante would have been proud to have at his name. Sissoko almost single-handedly destroyed the Chelsea midfield. It wasn’t just his tackling but his skill, tenacity and desire to get forward. The one chance he did create was for Harry Kane, who somehow managed to blaze over. His pace is also outstanding. He got back on occasion when opposition players had a ten-metre start on him. Impressive, indeed.
Moussa Sissoko – His Time Has Come
What Moussa Sissoko also does is create space for those around him. As he picked off Chelsea’s midfield like a sniper, Alli, Son and Christian Eriksen all profited from the extra space it afforded them and that is why Sissoko is now an integral, if not, vital, part of the Pochettino jigsaw. A much-maligned player is now becoming loved and admired by the Tottenham faithful. A truly inspiring story of how application and attitude can bring out the best in a footballer; a footballer who will now start to be feared in the Premier League. It really is a story of positivity in the face of negativity.
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