Tottenham News Scout: Tottenham must aim higher than Lloyd Kelly in January
Tottenham News is delighted to welcome Matthew Chadder as our exclusive columnist for our ‘Spurs Scout’ features. Each week, he’ll be providing his expertise on researching players to give insight on the biggest talking points at Spurs…
It is clear that while some steps were made during the summer transfer window, Tottenham are a long way away from having a complete squad that is ready to compete on all fronts.
Ange Postecoglou will be relatively happy with the business done at Hotspur Way this summer. As the Australian looks to build his new-look squad, he was certainly backed in some areas, with the arrivals of Micky van de Ven, Brennan Johnson and Guglielmo Vicario representing signings wanted by the 58-year-old.
Although, after the high-profile sale of Harry Kane, some might argue that not enough money was poured into the team, which was in desperate need of a revamp after last season’s horror show defensively.
Aside from the largely inexperienced 18-year-old Ahsley Phillips, Van de Ven was the only centre-back signed by the club, who also sold Davinson Sanchez to Galatasaray and loaned out Joe Rodon to Leeds United.
This leaves Postecoglou with Van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Eric Dier as his only senior options in that position, and it has been made abundantly clear that Dier is not a part of the manager’s plans, with the England international having been excluded from every matchday squad this season.
An injury to Van de Ven or Romero could really derail Spurs’ momentum, and the lack of central defenders might come back to haunt them. It appeared that they were perhaps going to address this issue, when Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano reported via Twitter (31 August) that Spurs were considering a move for Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly in the final 24 hours of the window.
In the end, that deal didn’t come to fruition and, as a result, a new centre-back absolutely must be signed in January. And, according to 90min (7 September), Kelly is still an option on the club’s radar.
Here, Spurs Scout has had a look at Kelly and identified what he would bring to Tottenham, and whether or not he would be the right fit for the club.
Superpower- Progressive
If there is one thing that Postecoglou loves, it is a forward-thinking player who likes to retain possession. Whether that be a striker, midfielder or defender, the Australian demands that his players press high and look to attack at every possible opportunity.
It is quite the contrast from the days of Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho in North London and explains why new centre-backs are required to fit his system. One example is Van de Ven, a player who has settled in brilliantly, and Kelly’s stats also suggest he could fit that mould.
As per fbref, the 24-year-old was in the top nine per cent of Premier League centre-backs last season for the number of assists he provided (0.09 per 90), setting up two goals in his 23 league appearances as the Cherries battled to safety.
Beyond his direct involvements, a deeper dive into his numbers suggests he has plenty of other qualities Postecoglou would admire. He was in the top 14 per cent compared to his positional peers in the division for the number of passes he played into the penalty area (0.40 per 90) and the top nine per cent for the number of crosses into the penalty area he made (0.13 per 90).
He also made 5.47 touches in the attacking third per 90, which demonstrates his willingness to get forward. Having operated at both left-back and centre-back throughout the season, he is a versatile player who certainly fits the description of a modern ball-playing defender.
Weakness – Average defensively
While his numbers show some promise when it comes to his ability going forward, the same cannot be said going the other way. He was part of a Bournemouth squad that conceded 71 league goals, the third-highest total in the division, and his individual stats aren’t much more promising.
He was in the 43rd percentile for both the number of interceptions (1.15 per 90) and number of blocks he made (1.15 per 90). In addition to this, he was in just the 50th percentile for the number of tackles that he won (0.79 per 90), but it is his defending higher up the pitch that is of most cause for concern.
Kelly was in the 48th percentile for the number of tackles he made in the middle third (0.40 per 90) and the 40th percentile for the number he made in the attacking third (0.04 per 90).
While it is unfair to perhaps judge him on this particular metric, as he was part of a team fighting relegation that would often find themselves on the back foot, it perhaps suggests that he doesn’t have the experience or required skillset to translate into a ‘top-six’ side, one that looks to progress forward and squeeze the opposition high up.
Where would Kelly fit in at Tottenham?
It is quite apparent that if he were to be signed, he wouldn’t be arriving to replace either Romero or Van de Ven, who are both locked in as starters at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, at least for this season.
Kelly would therefore be brought in as a squad option in case of injury to any first-team players. His versatility could therefore make him a useful option for this role, as he has shown on the South Coast that he can slot in as both a left-back and centre-back if needed.
How much would Kelly cost?
This is the part that could appeal most to Daniel Levy, as he might be able to sign the defender for a very low price. As reported by 90min (1 September), Spurs saw a bid of £20million knocked back for the defender on deadline day.
However, the latest report from 90min suggests that Kelly is out of contract at the end of the season and is in no rush to sign a new deal at the Vitality Stadium. Bournemouth could perhaps look to therefore cash in during the January window, to avoid losing their player for nothing next summer.
Should Tottenham sign Kelly?
While there are advantages to the transfer and some potential upside, ultimately, it would just represent another example of Levy going for the cheaper option. When names such as Josko Gvardiol and Alessandro Bastoni have been linked in the past, this would be a very disappointing addition.
Spurs have money and need to be aiming higher than the likes of Kelly, and should look to make a statement in January and go all out to sign a top defender and really push the team on.
Postecoglou has so far proven he is capable, now he just needs the backing.
In other Tottenham news, the women’s team have been dealt a massive injury blow ahead of the WSL season getting underway.