Thomas Frank will regret starting Tottenham star against Everton
Thomas Frank and Tottenham will be desperate for all three points at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday.
Tottenham take on Everton in the Premier League on 26 October, as the Lilywhites look to advance their position in the table.
It was heartbreak for Spurs against Aston Villa when Frank’s side were defeated at home for yet another time this season, losing 2-1.
While the Dane will be hoping for a victory, he may not have made it easier for himself or his team.
Rodrigo Bentancur starting will be a problem for Tottenham
Tottenham announced via X on 26 October that Rodrigo Bentancur will start in their confrontation against Everton
While Bentancur netted during Tottenham’s defeat to Villa last week, the midfielder has been unconvincing this season.
The Uruguayan has started six out of seven Premier League games for Spurs, according to Sofascore, accumulating a total of 498 minutes.
His defensive statistics are solid:
- He has made 4.6 per game ball recoveries
- Bentancur has made 2.3 clearances
- He has made just one error leading to a shot and won 42 per cent of his aerial duels
However, while 87 per cent of his passes have been accurate this season, his creative statistics have been subpar.
- He has created zero big chances this season
- Bentancur has made 0.6 key passes per game
- He has registered 0.38 in expected assists
This simply isn’t enough.
While creativity is not his forte, for a Spurs side who are struggling to create chances in the league, he is not what’s needed at the moment.
Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha double pivot is a problem
Frank has been criticised for deploying Bentancur and Joao Palhinha in a double pivot before.
While Bentancur is more attacking-minded than Palhinha, both are quite defensive players.
- Palhinha has recorded 0.29 in expected assists
- He has made 0.3 key passes per game
- He has created one big chance in the league
The partnership has been said to be too defensive, and considering Spurs have scored just 10 goals from open play in the Premier League season, it seems the criticism has its merit.
As a result, Frank could be making a mistake starting Bentancur against Everton, especially as the Toffees will surely attack with intensity at home.
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