Ange Postecoglou has to call on ‘heroic’ Tottenham U21 ace George Abbott amid crisis
Ange Postecoglou could use a player like George Abbott in his Tottenham first-team right now.
It is no secret that Spurs’ Under-21s have been on fire all season.
Their wonderful form saw them finish top of Premier League 2 ahead of the competition entering its play-off phase.
Waye Burnett’s side took on Aston Villa’s Under-21s at the Lamex Stadium on Monday (6 May) in the last 16, and although they made hard work of it, the North London outfit advanced following a 4-3 win after extra time.
Second-half goals from Yago Santiago and the in-form Will Lankshear put the hosts ahead after they had gone a goal down during the first half, but Villa were able to find an equaliser in the 83rd minute.
Rio Kyerematen thought he had won it for Spurs in the 91st minute, only for the visitors to once again draw level dramatically.
This sent the tie to extra time, with Lankshear grabbing his second of the day to win the match and book a last-eight showdown with Liverpool’s Under-21s at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
While this was clearly a clash where the attacking players came out on top, the defensive-minded Abbott certainly played his part, and Postecoglou should be taking a closer look at the 18-year-old.
Ange Postecoglou could call on Tottenham Under-21 ace George Abbott
The Tottenham first team just can’t stop conceding at the moment.
Postecoglou’s side recently shipped nine goals across three games in the space of a week, highlighting a real weakness in the team.
However, a lot of that defensive instability is down to a lack of grit in midfield, and that is where Abbott could come in.
Ahead of Villa’s equaliser to make the score 3-3, Abbott had made a “heroic” block to deny Jamal Jimoh-Aloba (Tottenham Hotspur Official Website, 6 May).
His overall display was described as “excellent”, and the Englishman has been a consistent feature for the Under-21s all season.
Abbott has played 15 times for Burnett’s side this year, predominantly as a defensive midfielder, with Postecoglou crying out for someone who can operate effectively in this position.
Ahead of next season, the Australian should hand some minutes to Abbott to see if the young midfielder could be a long-term solution at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
In other Tottenham news, one player at the club is to push for an exit despite a contract development.
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