Sandro Tonali is a Tottenham scapegoat - this Premier League reveal proves it
Sandro Tonali isn't getting the Tottenham Hotspur flowers his underlying numbers deserve.
The £100million-man from Newcastle United this summer is naturally under more pressure than most to perform.
Arriving as Tottenham's record signing, the 26-year-old midfielder is expected to be nothing but a star for the Lilywhites.
Unfortunately, and through no fault of his own, his transfer fee has been working against him this season.
It opens him up to increased ridicule when he doesn't play well, and also serves to dilute the levels of praise he receives when he does.
Tonali can only control his own performances on the pitch, and when peeling back the curtain, his numbers tell a story of a Spurs scapegoat story developing.
Where Sandro Tonali ranks amongst Premier League rivals this season
Starting every single one of Tottenham's opening five Premier League games this season, Tonali has instantly become a key player for Roberto De Zerbi.
But with zero goal contributions from those matches, he's yet to really have his 'welcome to Tottenham' moment in 2026-27.
As a result, there's fair share of supporters and pundits alike who have been on his case and expecting more from him so far this term.
But when you delve into his underlying data, it shows just how good he's actually been, and why his price tag shouldn't influence perceptions of his performances.
Per FotMob, his 64.5 per cent duels won rate ranks him in the leading 8.1 percentile of all Premier League central midfielders this season.
Meanwhile, his eight shots, 262 successful passes, 363 touches and 66 line-breaking passes all put him in the top 11.3 per cent of his positional rivals.
He's also won both of his two aerial duels and is in the top 9.7 per cent for his three possessions won in the final third.
Tonali is actually being severely let down by his comrades ahead of him, as his numbers make clear.
Tottenham department is wasting Tonali's full potential
With Premier League-leading numbers for line-breaking passes and successful passes, Tonali really shouldn't be sitting on zero assists.
Alas, he is, and there's only one area of Tottenham's squad to blame for this, and that's the forward line.
Spurs' only two Premier League goals scored this season have been through central midfielder Conor Gallagher and centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke.
If De Zerbi had a striker who could put the ball in the net, and likewise with his wingers, Tonali's numbers offer a glimpse into his creative potential in this side.
But so much of that is being left on the pitch, again through no fault of his own, and this is where the criticism should lie and not on his performances.