Jim White and Simon Jordan clash over Tottenham 'carthorse' after scenes vs Coventry
talkSPORT presenters Simon Jordan and Jim White don't see eye to eye on Tottenham Hotspur's Dejan Kulusevski.
The Swedish international is finally back for Tottenham after spending 526 days on the sidelines through injury.
He hadn't been seen since suffering a right patella cartilage injury to his knee against Crystal Palace on 11 May last year.
But with just minutes to go in Monday night's 3-1 win over Coventry City, Roberto De Zerbi reintroduced him to the N17 faithful.
It may only have been for three minutes, but they will have meant everything to the attacking midfielder as it also did for the fans.
His return to action has sparked a debate in the talkSPORT studio on Monday between White and Jordan, however.
Who out of Simon Jordan and Jim White fought Dejan Kulusevski's corner?
Given how long it's been since Kulusevski stepped on the pitch, some may have forgotten just how good a player he is.
Indeed, Spurs' number 21 will be desperate to make up for lost time this season, as well as reaffirming his class in the Premier League.
Debating on talkSPORT on Tuesday, White and Jordan were at loggerheads over just how impactful Kulusevski will be for Tottenham moving forward.
"We always know that players get better when they're not playing, so the kid that came on, Kulusevski," said Jordan.
White then interluded: "It's good to see him again," before Jordan replied: "Well, I mean he's alright. He's not a world-beater."
"Good player," White retorted, to which Jordan replied: "He's alright, but he was being cheered like he's a world-beater because when you're looking for opportunities to celebrate things when you've had very few things to celebrate, you'll celebrate the return of someone who once upon a time did a few decent things."
White then recalled: "Kulusevski. I went years ago to Italy to watch Parma play Roma to do an interview afterwards which I did with Chris Smalling of Roma at that time, and Kulusevski ran it for Parma. He's some player.
"A fit Kulusevski will make some difference," White finished, before Jordan said: "I just remember watching him because they were raving about him, because I always thought he was a bit of a carthorse."
Kulusevski isn't a carthorse, as his numbers throughout his career have proven.
Jordan has a short memory if he thinks Kulusevski is a 'carthorse'
The 2025-26 season was written off for Kulusevski because of his aforementioned injury.
But in 2024-25, he played 32 times in the Premier League, scoring seven goals and providing four assists.
Per FotMob, no Premier League player in his position that year completed more dribbles (38), took more touches in the opposition box (180) or won more final third possessions (27) than Kulusevski.
Those are hardly the numbers a carthorse would put up, and even in his three minutes against Coventry, the Swede showed his star quality.
He completed all four of his pass attempts accurately, took nine touches with one in the Coventry box, completed one dribble and one cross.
Kulusevski also made two recoveries and won two ground duels, as well as winning one foul, all in the space of three minutes.
White is correct, because if that's the sort of impact he can have on a game in minutes, then De Zerbi will salivate at the prospect of getting 90 out of him later this year.