View: Oliver Skipp failed Ange Postecoglou audition in Tottenham loss to Fulham
In an otherwise bright start to the Ange Postecoglou era at Tottenham, it is fair to say Tuesday (29 August) was a blip.
The Australian has seen his team take seven points from nine in the Premier League, including an impressive 2-0 win over Manchester United in his first competitive home fixture.
However, his chances of first-season silverware were hindered badly as Spurs were knocked out of the Carabao Cup 5-3 on penalties by Fulham after a 1-1 draw in normal time at Craven Cottage.
Several players who have been on the outside looking in during the early stages of the campaign were afforded an opportunity to impress Postecoglou.
It is fair to say not many, if indeed any, passed their audition. Chief among those was midfielder Oliver Skipp, who did not exactly have his best game in a Tottenham shirt.
In stats provided by Sofa Score, Skipp had a pass completion rate of only 73 per cent, while winning just four of 14 ground duels – suggesting there were struggles in and out of possession.
He also gave away possession 12 times and was dribbled past on three occasions. Hardly glowing figures for a player who is supposed to help the team win the ball back quickly and start attacks.
It is also probably the worst time to put in such a performance because Tottenham’s midfield up until that point had probably been their most impressive area since Postecoglou came in.
A triumvirate of Yves Bissouma, Pape Matar Sarr, and James Maddison has gelled extremely quickly and offered a blend of slick, accurate passing, creativity, and plenty of excellent work off the ball.
Pierre Emile-Hojbjerg, while partnering with Skipp, fared slightly better with an 80 per cent pass success rate, winning three of five duels, and winning two tackles.
The Dane has been linked with a move away from Tottenham as they look to trim a bloated squad, but Skipp’s underwhelming showing will have caused a little bit of concern.
A look a little further back also offers a couple of worries. As per FBRef, over the past year, Skipp ranks in only the 25th percentile for progressive passes per 90 minutes (3.81) and the 36th percentile for progressive carries (1), two strengths that Postecoglou will admire in his midfielders.
There is still plenty of time for Skipp to impress, of course, but a golden opportunity has now already passed him by.
In other Tottenham news, Ange Postecoglou must help Richarlison meet the expectation of replacing Harry Kane.