Ange Postecoglou reminded of Pape Matar Sarr absence as midfielder grabs an assist for Senegal at AFCON
Ange Postecoglou is currently without one of the most important players in his Tottenham team, Pape Matar Sarr, who is competing with Senegal at the 2024 African Cup of Nations.
Considering the midfielder is still just 21 years old, it is incredible how integral he has become at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season.
Sarr is one of the first names on Postecoglou’s teamsheets and is key to the way the Australian wants to play.
His performances during the current campaign have shown levels of maturity beyond his years, and if his progress continues on this same upward trajectory, Tottenham could have a real star on their hands.
Spurs signed Sarr from Ligue 1 outfit Metz when he was still only 18 years old (Sky Sports News, 27 August 2021), and he first began to catch supporters’ eyes with his confident display in the San Siro last year.
Former Tottenham manager Antonio Conte took his side to Italy short of options in midfield and was required to call on Sarr for the first leg of Spurs’ UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie against AC Milan (14 February 2023), which ended in a 1-0 defeat for the Premier League side.
Despite the scoreline, Sarr looked relatively assured in midfield, as he won seven of his 11 ground duels, made five tackles, played one key pass and played five accurate long balls forward (Sofascore).
He reinforced his credentials and proved his worth to Postecoglou in the second game of the 2023/24 season when he scored in a 2-0 home win against Manchester United (19 August 2023). In addition to his goal that afternoon, Sarr also hit the woodwork, played two accurate long balls forward, won three of his four ground duels, made two tackles and played one key pass.
It has been a breakthrough season for the midfielder who now has the opportunity to show the world what he can do on the international stage at the African Cup of Nations, and his first appearance at the tournament certainly did his reputation no harm at all.
Sarr started in Senegal’s 3-1 win against Cameroon (19 January), a win which sent Senegal through to the Round of 16 as they claimed maximum points from their first two games in Group C.
He featured for 74 minutes and impressed throughout, completing 84 per cent of his passes, with one of those being key, winning one ground duel, making two interceptions and two clearances.
His most important contribution came early in the match, as he put his body on the line to assist Ismaila Sarr’s strike which opened the scoring.
As seen in the image above, Sarr threw himself over an opposition player to knock the ball forward for his international teammate, who had time to turn in the box and rifle the ball past Manchester United’s Andre Onana.
It was another moment of brilliance from the young player and one which will remind Postecoglou just how much of a blow his absence in North London will be over the coming weeks.
In other Tottenham news, the club have been recommended to sign a striker who is ripping one European league apart.
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