Postecoglou has clear Europa League final choice after Yves Bissouma development
Ange Postecoglou faces plenty of sleepless nights as he must now decide who will start for Tottenham in the UEFA Europa League final.
Tottenham have given themselves a golden opportunity to lift a major trophy for the first time in 17 years following a dogged 2-0 victory against Bodø/Glimt at the Aspmyra Stadion on Thursday (8 May).
This win saw the Lilywhites claim a 5-1 aggregate victory in the semi-final, and they will now face Premier League rivals Manchester United in the final in Bilbao at the Estadio de San Mamés on Wednesday, 21 May.
Postecoglou had to make some bold selection calls following the untimely injury to James Maddison, and with the playmaker set to miss the rest of the season alongside Lucas Bergvall, the Australian looks set for a major headache when it comes to selecting his midfield in Spain.
Postecoglou must start Yves Bissouma v Manchester United
Bissouma‘s Tottenham career looked all but over after a sequence of underwhelming performances in recent months.
The Mali international had fallen so far down the pecking order that he had become something of a forgotten man in recent weeks until he was recalled for the first-leg tie against Bodø/Glimt.
| League Fixtures | Minutes Played |
| Bournemouth | 45 |
| Fulham | 45 |
| Chelsea | 0 (unused substitute) |
| Southampton | 10 |
| Wolves | 55 |
| Forest | 0 (unused substitute) |
| Liverpool | 0 (unused substitute) |
It was the injury to Bergvall that initially allowed Bissouma to return. However, with Maddison also missing in Norway, the onus on the midfielder to perform in the biggest game of the season was elevated as he kept his place for the second leg.
The 28-year-old did so with the grace and zeal that prompted Spurs to sign him from Brighton in 2022, mopping up any danger that came his way whilst displaying calm and composure in possession.
Bissouma was imperious against Bodø/Glimt, making one tackle and three interceptions [Sofascore] as Tottenham dug in to keep a rare clean sheet against a high-scoring team.
On the ball, he was efficient as he completed 88 per cent of his passes and found his intended target with three of the four long balls he attempted. In addition, Bissouma won one ground duel and only gave possession away five times across the full 90 minutes in the Arctic Circle.
Postecoglou must juggle remaining league games
Postecoglou now has the unenviable task of trying to balance the fitness of his key players whilst ensuring they avoid breaking further unwanted records in the league.
Spurs host Crystal Palace on Sunday (11 May), where it is expected they will make wholesale changes to their lineup once again.
With only one more league game against Aston Villa to follow before the all-important final, the manager will have to decide how best to utilise his squad to guarantee they arrive in optimal shape in Spain.