Tottenham might have problem to solve in Everton teenager Lewis Dobbin after Abdoulaye Doucoure update emerges
Everton have been handed a huge injury blow ahead of their trip to Tottenham in the Premier League on Saturday (23 December).
Sean Dyche’s side are flying high after winning their last four Premier League matches on the bounce without conceding a goal, albeit they were knocked out of the EFL Cup quarter-finals on penalties by Fulham.
While the Toffees’ league form makes for pretty concerning reading for Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham ahead of their clash with Everton, they have been dealt a huge injury blow that could cost them in north London, and benefit the hosts.
Abdoulaye Doucoure was unavailable for the Fulham cup clash, and Dyche confirmed after the match that he was unsure of his return date.
When asked if he would be available for the trip to Tottenham, Dyche told the media (Liverpool Echo, 20 December), “Probably not at the weekend but going forward we are hopeful it settles down quickly. He is super fit and he is a good healer so we are hopeful it settles down quickly.”
Doucoure is the club’s top scorer this season and one of Dyche’s most important senior players.
As per fbref, the stats demonstrate that he has been one of the Premier League’s standout midfielders this season, ranking in the top one per cent of his positional peers for the number of ball recoveries he has made (5.00 per 90).
In addition to this, he also ranks in the top four per cent for the number of passes he has completed (30.88 per 90), the number of those passes which have been into the final third (1.88 per 90) and the number of tackles he has made (1.50 per 90).
He also sits in the top seven per cent of midfielders in the Premier League this season for the number of progressive passes (3.00 per 90) and interceptions he has made (0.69 per 90).
Of course, attention will now turn toward who Dyche can bring in to replace the midfielder, and it is fair to say that his options are rather limited.
When Doucoure was substituted at half-time during the 2-0 win at Burnley on Saturday 16 December, it was Lewis Dobbin whom the manager turned to.
His bench that day consisted of Dobbin, two goalkeepers, strikers Beto and Youssef Chermiti, forward Arnaut Danjuma and three Under-21 players yet to make their Premier League debuts. Limited options to say the least.
With this in mind, Dyche could be forced to include Dobbin once again in Doucoure’s place, or risk bringing in an even more inexperienced player, and the 20-year-old’s display at Turf Moor suggests Postecoglou has little to worry about.
Dobbin completed zero per cent of his dribbles, failing with all three attempts, didn’t manage to register a shot at goal, completed just 60 per cent of his passes and won just two of his seven ground duels, while also losing the only aerial duel he contested (Sofascore).
On a bigger stage and against a better team than Burnley, Dobbin could find proceedings even more tricky, which will inspire confidence among the Tottenham ranks.
In other Tottenham news, one Spurs expert has speculated what Jamie Donley will share with his Under-21 teammates after his senior debut.