Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma continues to show inconsistency with Mali at the African Cup of Nations
It has been a mixed season for Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma, who is continuing to show signs of inconsistency at the African Cup of Nations with Mali.
Bissouma’s campaign has been one full of highs and lows under Ange Postecoglou in North London.
After a poor debut season at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which saw the 27-year-old start just 10 matches in the Premier League, Bissouma has quickly become a key player for Postecoglou.
He has shown signs of the form which made him such a standout player while he was with Brighton. For example, in Spurs’ 4-1 win over Newcastle United (10 December), Bissouma excelled, winning 10 of his 14 ground duels, succeeding in his one dribble attempt while also making eight tackles (Sofascore).
Yet at times, he has given his manager a headache, missing five games through suspension this season already after receiving two red cards in England’s top flight while also serving a one-match suspension for accumulating five yellow cards.
Nonetheless, no matter how frustrating his disciplinary record has been, his numbers this season prove that he is irreplaceable in the heart of Postecoglou’s midfield.
As per fbref, Bissouma ranks in the top three per cent of his positional peers in the Premier League this season for the number of tackles he has made (3.73 per 90), as well as the top eight per cent for his pass completion rate (91.0 per cent per 90) and the top nine per cent for the number of interceptions he has made (1.49 per 90) and his successful take-ons (1.79 per 90).
Postecoglou likes his teams to dominate possession and play on the front foot, while also defending aggressively and winning the ball back, with Bissouma’s number emphasising just how well he fits into this system.
That is why his manager would have been delighted to see him back to his best in Mali’s opening match at the African Cup of Nations, a 2-0 win against South Africa (16 January). Throughout that match, Bissouma featured for 58 minutes before he was replaced by Lassana Coulibaly.
During his time on the pitch, he completed 93 per cent of his passes, with one of those being key, played one accurate long ball forward, won seven of his nine ground duels and made six tackles and two interceptions.
It was exactly the type of display which shows the midfielder at his best.
Nonetheless, as has so often been the case for Bissouma this season, he followed up a strong display with a day to forget.
In Mali’s second match of the tournament, a 1-1 draw with Tunisia on Saturday 20 January, Bissouma was dropped to the bench and struggled to make an impact when he replaced Diadie Samassekou in the 84th minute.
Throughout his 16 minutes on the pitch, he completed 88 per cent of his passes, failed to find the target with either of his strikes, gave the ball away once and won one aerial duel.
It is by no means any major cause for alarm, but it is yet another sign of Bissouma struggling to string a run of consistent displays together, and Postecoglou will hope the midfielder can put that particular issue behind him upon his return to England.
In other Tottenham news, Daniel Levy is now set to spend millions on a player who the club missed the opportunity to sign on the cheap.
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