Tottenham boss justifies Kulusevski’s new role
Tottenham Hotspur star Dejan Kulusevski has been credited with a newfound role in the team’s starting eleven by Ange Postecoglou. As opposed to previously being a right winger at Spurs and at Juventus as well, he has recently started to form a part of the midfield at least on paper.
For most of Tottenham’s matches this season, he has started as a right midfielder and has continued to perform at an optimal level. He even captained Sweden for the first time in his career last month, which is a testimony of his rapid development over the last few months.
Ange Postecoglou was asked to provide a bit more clarity on Kulusevski’s role in the team this season and had the following to say in his pre-match press conference ahead of the Spurs’ visit to Brighton & Hove Albion for this weekend’s Premier League meeting (via official Tottenham website).
“Deki is doing great. He’s been out of this world in many respects as to what he’s able to do in a central role. We used him wide last year because we didn’t have too many options out there and that’s where he was comfortable in. We started using him inside and I felt he felt that it unshackled him a little bit. He has an unbelievable capacity to run on and off the ball, his physical numbers are ridiculous and he has the quality to hurt teams with that.
At times out wide he might’ve felt suppressed, especially in our system where you have to hold your position and not be involved, he’s a player who wants to be involved. We brought a couple of wide players in this year and I thought let’s go with him inside. We played with him as a nine in pre-season and he made an impact. The beauty of Deki is he’s just getting started, he enjoys the role, he brings a different dimension to us because there’s not many players like him.”
Barring his form under Ange Postecoglou, Kulusevski performed phenomenally under Antonio Conte as well as he had the freedom to venture into the box. His output in the penalty area was superb under the Italian and that is a cue which Spurs’ current boss seems to have identified.
Understandably this season, Brennan Johnson’s explosive form has meant it would not have been possible for Kulusevski to be accommodated on the right flank. Therefore, a role on his preferred side in midfield is where the Swedish international has found comfort in.
Like Postecoglou pointed out, Tottenham are also benefitting this season from his physical output, which has been a key factor in their defensive solidity. His work-rate, which was never really a matter of question before, is coming into all the more effect in a somewhat box-to-box role.
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The 24-year-old is going from strength to strength and has everything it takes to be a legend at Tottenham. There will understandably be interest from other parties in his signing too, so Spurs should take the necessary steps to keep him monetarily happy too given that he is currently paid only £110,000 per week.
