This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Moussa Sissoko is not the midfielder that Tottenham Hotspur need right now as Jose Mourinho looks to rebuild a team lying in 14th place.
On the chalkboard
The France international had become an integral part of Mauricio Pochettino’s plans. He is approaching 150 appearances for the club and has played in all but one of their competitive fixtures thus far this term – he was on the bench against Colchester United in the Carabao Cup.
However, he is not offering what he should be from a central position.
Thus far this season in the Premier League, per WhoScored, he has averaged 0.6 shots per game and 1.4 dribbles, though he also averages 1.5 unsuccessful touches and is dispossessed once per game. Furthermore, he averages just 0.5 key passes per game and has just one assist to his name.
Defensively, he makes 1.7 fouls per game, 0.8 tackles and just 0.3 interceptions.
This is not the well-rounded midfielder Spurs need, especially in a game as competitive as a London derby away at West Ham.
Not the player Mourinho needs
Compare Sissoko’s stats with Tanguy Ndombele, his compatriot in central midfield.
The latter, who has already scored twice this season, averages 0.7 shots per game, 0.8 key passes and 1.3 dribbles. He has 1.4 unsuccessful touches and is dispossessed 0.9 times per game. He has 0.8 key passes per game and makes just 0.7 fouls, 1.8 tackles and 0.7 interceptions.
The statistics are similar but Ndombele has the edge and he is also better in the final third, as shown by his goal tally.
Partnering him with someone like Giovani Lo Celso would make a lot more sense.
Not only is Lo Celso an aggressive defender – he won five out of the five tackles he attempted against Red Star Belgrade – he can also burst forward and score, having netted eight goals from central midfield last term.
He has a dynamism and attacking threat that Sissoko lacks.
The former Newcastle United midfielder is simply too erratic to keep his place in the team, particularly with Spurs’ current form and Mourinho having the license to essentially rebuild Spurs’ starting XI from scratch.
Spurs have not won in the Premier League since September; a way to remedy that could be to drop Sissoko and try a new midfield pairing that offers far more excitement.