Ange Postecoglou may receive ‘huge’ January boost at Tottenham as James Maddison update emerges from Fabrizio Romano
After a miserable period just before Christmas at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, it feels like things are well and truly back on track for Ange Postecoglou’s side.
Tottenham have managed to return to winning ways both in the Premier League and the FA Cup while also getting their transfer business done early in the window with January moves for Timo Werner and Radu Dragusin.
However, Fabrizio Romano has shared an update surrounding James Maddison that may well have trumped any recent developments in North London that could potentially define the remainder of Spurs’ season.
Writing on X on Wednesday (24 January) Romano said: “Excellent news for Tottenham as James Maddison’s finally back to training. Huge one for Ange Postecoglou.”
Maddison’s last appearance in a Tottenham shirt came all the way back in November during Spurs’ chaotic 4-1 defeat to Chelsea, when the England international was forced off with an injury at half-time.
However, before that game, the 27-year-old has been a key component of Spurs’ ridiculous start to the season under Postecoglou, with arguably his best performance coming in the opening day draw with Brentford.
In that clash, Maddison completed 89 per cent of his 63 attempted passes, of which seven were into the final third as he quickly adapted to Postecoglou’s style to help propel Spurs up the field and towards the Bees’ goal repeatedly [Fotmob].
Over the course of the 90 minutes against Thomas Franks’ outfit, the England international managed to create an astonishing six chances for his teammates, picking up two assists and finishing the game with a staggering xA of 0.95.
That display was backed up with a number of influential performances in the opening stages of the season, including a starring role in the North London derby, where Maddison picked up another two assists in a 2-2 draw with Arsenal.
The 27-year-old created three chances for his teammates with two balls into the final third and even got stuck in defensively, winning seven ground duels in the match and even earning his side three free-kicks as he fouled repeatedly.
Maddison’s return will likely be a huge boost for Spurs in the second half of the season as he is one of the most progressive players in the Premier League, never mind Postecoglou’s side.
When compared to his positional peers in England’s top flight this season, Spurs’ star man players more progressive passes per 90 minutes than 98 per cent of midfielders, with an average of 9.91 per game [Fbref].
He also sits in the 97th percentile for key passes per match, averaging more than three a game and the top one per cent for passes into the penalty area with an average of 3.27 per match. There are few players in the league this season more creative than Maddison.
However, the 27-year-old’s biggest asset is just how many of these passes result in a shot, as Maddison averages more shot-creating actions per 90 minutes than 98 per cent of midfielders and has even managed to overperform his xA rate.
While it may be a little while until Postecoglou restores him to the Spurs starting XI, his return to training could well define Tottenham’s season and will have single-handedly boosted their Champions League hopes.
In other Tottenham News, Alan Hutton believes Spurs can complete an “outstanding” deal for one Premier League star this month
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