Tottenham loanee Joe Rodon proves he deserves one final chance after performance v Chelsea
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou should take one final look at defender Joe Rodon.
On-loan Spurs centre-back Rodon has never quite been able to find his feet at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Since moving to North London from Swansea in a deal worth up to £15million (Sky Sports News, 17 October), Rodon has managed just 24 appearances for Spurs after more than three years with the club.
He was sent out on loan to Ligue 1 outfit Rennes last season but struggled to make much of an impact in France.
At the beginning of the 2023/24 campaign, Ange Postecoglou decided that the 26-year-old was not for him and he was once again sent out on loan, this time to Championship outfit Leeds United following their relegation from the Premier League.
While very few would have expected Rodon to write many headlines in West Yorkshire, his performances at the back have been incredibly impressive.
He has become a key player for Daniel Farke, starting 30 Championship matches for the Whites and helping them to keep seven clean sheets from their last nine league matches.
His form could inspire Leeds to make an instant return to the Premier League, and that is something which Postecoglou cannot ignore.
Does Joe Rodon have a future at Tottenham under Ange Postecoglou?
Rodon has been one of the most impressive defenders in the Championship this season.
While his defensive contributions are clear for all to see, it is his ability on the ball which would have caught Postecoglou’s eye, considering the possession-based style of football that the Australian likes to play.
As per fbref, Rodon ranks in the top seven per cent of his positional peers in the Championship this season for his pass completion rate (90.6 per cent per 90), while he has also shown plenty of promise in possession.
Rodon ranks in the top nine per cent of Championship centre-backs across the 2023/24 season for both his total carrying distance (294.32 yards per 90) and his progressive carrying distance (168.93 yards per 90).
After a string of impressive performances in the league, Postecoglou has been left with a decision to make over the Wales international’s future.
Up until this point, Rodon’s strong displays have come against Championship opposition, which is a different prospect to the level of opposition he would be facing in the Premier League.
However, after his display in Leeds’ 3-2 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup on Wednesday 28 February, Rodon proved that he can handle the step up, and is worthy of one final chance in N17.
Although he featured on the losing side, Leeds pushed Chelsea all the way, and Rodon could leave the pitch with his head held high.
As per Sofascore, he won 100 per cent of his ground duels, made two tackles and blocked two shots.
In addition, he completed 96 per cent of his passes, with two of those key, completed 100 per cent of his long balls forward and created one big chance.
It was a confident display which just so happened to come against one of Spurs’ fiercest rivals and a statement from Rodon that he is ready for Premier League football.
If the Welshman can replicate those performances consistently, he would be a very useful player to have around Hotspur Way, and Postecoglou should give him that final chance to prove his worth next season.
In other Tottenham news, one Spurs expert believes the club’s women’s team have been handed a “huge opportunity” which they can capitalise on.
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