View: Ria Percival must prove worth to Tottenham Women and Robert Vilahamn in absence of Olga Ahtinen
Ria Percival has the chance to work her way back into the Tottenham Women’s set-up in the absence of Olga Ahtinen.
Ahtinen has been a revelation since her arrival in north London, featuring prominently as a part of Robert Vilahamn’s Tottenham Women’s side who have made a strong start to the season.
However, the Finland international midfielder is now set for a spell on the sidelines having picked up an MCR injury during the club’s recent 1-1 draw with Liverpool Women.
Vilahamn confirmed that while Ahtinen had avoided a more serious ACL injury, she is still set to be sidelined until after the New Year.
“She will be doing some recovery for a few weeks and hopefully will be on the grass directly after the New Year. Of course, you always expect the worst so it was really, really good to hear this wasn’t an ACL injury.” (Tottenham Hotspur Official, Thursday 16 November).
This leaves Vilahamn with the challenge of reshuffling his midfield and finding a new winning formula, with the Spurs boss opting to turn to Ria Percival during the club’s most recent match, a 1-1 draw with Leicester City Women on Sunday 19 November.
It was a mixed performance from the New Zeland International, who did complete 89 per cent of her passes, with one of those being key, but also won just one of four ground duels that she contested before being hooked off just shy of the hour mark (Sofascore).
The match was only Percival’s second start of the campaign, which might explain her lack of impact, having started the 6-0 win against Reading Women in the Continental Tyres League Cup on 11 October, during which she scored.
With this in mind, Vilahamn might be keen to give Percival another chance to prove that she can fill in for Ahtinen when Spurs return to League Cup action on Wednesday 22 November, as they square off with Bristol City Women.
Bristol City in particular will be glad not to see Ahtinen on the team sheet after her goalscoring performance during the two sides’ most recent clash, a WSL meeting on 8 October which ended 3-1 to Tottenham. Throughout the contest, Ahtinen was influential, completing 82 per cent of her passes, with one of those being key, and missing another big chance in addition to the goal she scored.
However, the Robins would be foolish to underestimate Percical, who proved against Reading that she is capable of doing some damage in this competition. As well as getting on the scoresheet against the Royals, Percival completed 95 per cent of her passes, one of those being key, in a much more confident performance than the one against Leicester.
Vilahamn will be hoping to see more of the same against Bristol City, and will certainly hope that a run of games can unlock the best of Percival.
In other Tottenham news, one Spurs expert has been wowed by the form of a loanee who is “absolutely flying” this season.