A Tottenham player has been subject to real praise from pundit Stephen Warnock, who told Sky Sports about an incredible statistic of his this season.
Spurs players transformed by Postecoglou
Of the players transformed by manager Ange Postecoglou, there are many.
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Indeed, the likes of Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr have become mainstays under the Australian since his arrival from Celtic, with the latter in particular turning heads as Spurs look to replicate that successful buy-to-loan-back deal with future transfers.
Alongside the African duo, Son Heung-min has rediscovered his very best form under Postecoglou, with the Lilywhites still very much contending for Champions League football next season. Tactically, two other players to have seriously benefitted from Postecoglou's arrival at N17 are full-backs Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie.
Crystal Palace (home)
March 2nd
Aston Villa (away)
March 10th
Fulham (away)
March 16th
Luton Town (home)
March 30th
West Ham (away)
April 2nd
The former, signed from Sporting Lisbon last January, has been dazzling as an inverted full-back in Postecoglou's system alongside Udogie – who himself has enjoyed an incredible debut campaign after fully linking up from Udinese in the summer.
Warnock hails Udogie after surprising Tottenham statistic
The Italy international has started 21 top-flight matches as a mainstay for Tottenham, bagging two goals and three assists, with Warnock sharing that he's also completed their most dribbles from midfield so far this season.
In reaction to the head-turning stat, Warnock has heaped praise on Udogie and is "made up" that he's become one of Tottenham's "most important" players.
"The way Tottenham play this season, everybody talks about the spine of the team, but it’s actually the fullbacks who are the most important players,” said Warnock on The Sky Sports Football Show (via HITC).
“And I am made up to say that. It makes me very happy. They change the way that they play. Udogie doesn’t play as a conventional fullback or as an overlapping fullback.
“Incredibly, I saw an article on this a few weeks ago where he has actually completed the most dribbles in midfield. That tells you everything about the type of player he is and where he is playing on the pitch, so often, you see him and Porro in centre-forward positions or number 10 positions.
“You are thinking, why are you playing there? What’s this trying to achieve? The more that you watch Spurs, the more that you understand it. They are key to the way Tottenham play. You can get away with one not playing, but when both don’t play, then they are completely different.”
The defender has also been praised by Arsenal legend Ian Wright for his "impressive" performances this season.
"You know someone who has to get some love as well for going under the radar, Udogie," explained Wright (as transcribed by Spurs Web).
"You watch Spurs and they have put together some players that you look at and think it’s a team that are shutting up everything. He has given them a stability and a progression of the ball that is very impressive. The man is going under the radar. I cannot wait to see this guy, I can’t wait to see him live.”