BBC pundit blown away by what ‘dangerous’ Richarlison did for Tottenham in loss v Liverpool
Tottenham and Ange Postecoglou missed their chance to take a massive step towards the top four as they were well beaten by Liverpool at Anfield.
Postecoglou’s side were nowhere near their best as they slipped 4-0 down to Jurgen Klopp’s Reds on Sunday (5 May) but late goals from Richarlison and Son Heung-min saw them pull the scoreline back to 4-2.
While the late flurry did very little for Tottenham’s Champions League hopes, it did show that they are a much better side when Richarlison is playing and BBC pundit Dion Dublin was quick to heap praise on the Brazilian.
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live (5 May, 18:15) he said: “Tottenham are playing really well and it is all down to Richarlison playing as a number nine, they look really dangerous.”
Will Tottenham qualify for the Champions League or Aston Villa?
The Brazilian forward was introduced with 29 minutes left to play at Anfield and in his second-half cameo managed to come away with a goal and an assist to salvage a bit of respect for Postecoglou’s side.
Over the course of the second half, Richarlison completed 75 per cent of his 12 attempted passes, four of which found a teammate in the final third as he added a spark to Tottenham’s frontline, according to Fotmob.
Son could barely miss the chance that the striker put on a plate for him as the 26-year-old’s pass into the penalty area carried an xA of 0.2. The substitute showed his own clinical edge as he scored his only goal from an xG 0.45.
Out of possession, Richarlison worked just as hard, entering two duels to try and win back possession to spur the away side on in a last-ditch attempt to inspire a miraculous comeback.
Last time out in the defeat to Chelsea, the striker was just as hardworking, winning 75 per cent of his four ground duels in the match and winning his side three free-kicks as he offered a more physical presence at the top end of the field.
That figurehead at the top of the field was severely lacking in the first half at Anfield the Liverpool defence had their way with Son. The South Korean International completed more dribbles than any other player, five, but also lost the most duels in the match with 12.
When compared to other forwards in the division this season, Richarlison sits in the 87th percentile for non-penalty goals scored per 90 minutes, according to Fbref. That means he has been one of the better strikers in the league so far this term.
On top of that, he also places in the top nine per cent of strikers for shots taken per game. While he can be erratic in the box, he is a goalscorer and that’s what Spurs really need if they want to qualify for the Champions League.
Will Richarlison start against Burnley?
Postecoglou simply has to start the Brazilian against Burnley next time out, otherwise, he can kiss his hopes of Champions League football next season goodbye.
Tottenham need a genuine number nine and while that may well be a target in the summer transfer window, they’re going to have to make do with what they’ve got until then and Richarlison is the best option.
In other Tottenham news, Ryan Sessengnon is set to “assess his options” at Spurs after a new transfer update
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