Ange Postecoglou strikes pure gold with Oliver Skipp decision as Tottenham starting XI emerges v Brighton
Ange Postceglou has struck pure gold ahead of Thursday’s game with Brighton as he axes Tottenham midfielder Oliver Skipp for the match at the Amex Stadium.
Spurs confirmed their starting XI on their personal Twitter account for the game at the Amex on Thursday evening (28 December) with Postecoglou making two changes from the side which triumphed 2-1 over Everton on 23 December.
Central defender Cristian Romero misses out with a hamstring injury and has been confirmed to be ruled out for up to five weeks and Postecoglou replaces him with Emerson Royal starting alongside Davies in defence.
Royal played at left-back against Everton but Destiny Udogie returns from suspension to start in his usual position and Postecoglou has also made the decision to axe Oliver Skipp who’s looked rather uninspiring in recent displays.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg replaces him at the heart of the Spurs midfield, sitting alongside Pape Matar Sarr.
Skipp, a surprise introduction in the starting line-up following Giovani Lo Celso’s return to fitness, did not cover himself in glory during the first 90 minutes in north London against the Toffees.
Although he was able to complete 92 per cent of his passes, zero per cent of those passes were key, and he was unable to impact the game in forward areas by providing zero crosses into the box and zero long balls forward (Sofascore).
Defensively he was solid, winning four of his five ground duels which he contested and making two clearances, but he also gave possession away seven times during the whole game whilst failing to attempt an aerial duel as the Toffees ran riot in the second half which nearly cost the Spurs all three points.
The Englishman’s display for Spurs before that, coming on for Brennan Johnson withdrawn early after injury against Nottingham Forest, Skipp failed to stake his claim.
As per Sofascore, while he did complete 87 per cent of his passes with one of those being key, he struggled elsewhere, winning just a third of his ground duels (two out of six) and losing the only aerial duel he contested.
He managed just one clearance and one tackle, while he was dribbled past on two occasions and failed to complete any successful dribbles.
With Postceoglou demanding intensity and security from his midfielders, Skipp has simply failed to show that despite his all-action characteristics and it was only right the Australian coach brought in Hojbjerg with Skipp confirmed as absent with a knock.
In other Tottenham news, a recent Daniel Levy decision could still pay dividends at the club after a “wild development.”