Jermain Defoe ‘surprised’ at what Thomas Frank has done amid ‘strange’ decision vs Leeds United
Tottenham are aiming to secure their first win in three games in all competitions against Leeds United on Saturday.
The Lilywhites have made a bright start in the Premier League this term, but face a tricky assignment this weekend against a team who haven’t lost in the league on home turf in over a year.
Tottenham endured a disappointing draw with Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League on Tuesday night, and they will be desperate to right the wrongs of that game at Elland Road.
Thomas Frank has been bold with his selection decisions in recent weeks, and one in particular has caught the eye for the trip to West Yorkshire.
Jermain Defoe ‘surprised’ as Richarlison left out for Mathys Tel
Richarlison has made a promising start for Tottenham so far this term, and has three goals from his opening six league appearances of the campaign.
The Brazilian frontman is already just one goal shy of matching his Premier League tally from the entirety of 2024-25, but he won’t have the opportunity to achieve that this weekend.
Frank has opted to rest the former Everton hero against Daniel Farke’s side, with Mathys Tel taking his place at the top of the pitch for the visitors.
The youngster has struggled badly for form since his move to Spurs was made permanent over the summer, and he is now set for just his second league start of the season.
Ex-Spurs striker Jermain Defoe has branded the decision to bench Richarlison as “strange” ahead of the game, and emphasised the huge responsibility that Tel will carry during the game.
“It’s a strange one,” the former England international said during Premier League Live’s coverage (4 October, 12:13pm).
“I think Tel’s got to mix up his movement, because when you’re playing against a team that sits in, at times you have to go over the block.
“You need to make runs in behind, and you’ve got to come and link the play. Of course, you want to go around it and get crosses in, but if you go around the block, that’s where Richarlison is at his best.
“The fact that he’s not playing, I’m surprised about that, but there are bodies that can come from the bench and make a difference.”
- Read More: Richarlison’s days are numbered at Tottenham as Premier League rivals eye shock £25m transfer
Mathys Tel won’t offer Tottenham enough vs Leeds United
Tel is finding life difficult at Tottenham at the moment, and another baptism of fire at Elland Road is unlikely to be a good thing for him or the team at the moment.
| Mathys Tel | Stats (per game) | Richarlison |
| 29 | Minutes | 73 |
| – | Goal Contributions | 0.66 |
| 4.8 | Accurate Passes | 6.7 |
| 0.5 | Successful Dribbles | 0.7 |
| – | Shots on Target | 0.8 |
| 2 (38%) | Duels Won | 4.2 |
The starlet is clearly short of confidence of late, and he will face a battle throughout proceedings against the Whites’ backline.
Tel has won just 38% of his duels so far this term, and that will provide serious concern for Spurs that they won’t be able to use him the ball up and get up the pitch.
He is averaging just 4.8 accurate passes per game, and has not shown himself to be capable of the kind of league play that is necessary to lead the line on his own.
The numbers do not make for good reading for the former Bayern Munich star, but he simply has to find a way to be effective for his team.
Enjoyed this article? Stay connected with all the latest Tottenham Hotspur news, updates, and behind-the-scenes content by following us on our new Instagram account – @tottenhamnews247