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Tottenham Hotspur travel to Stamford Bridge to take on their London rivals Chelsea in a Premier League clash on Wednesday. Mauricio Pochettino’s side will arrive still hurting from their shock 2-1 defeat at the hands of Burnley last time out.
That defeat damaged Spurs’ title chances, and a failure to beat Chelsea would probably kill off their ambitions for this season completely. Pochettino will be after a positive response from his team, especially from those who failed to shine at Turf Moor.
On the chalkboard
Against the Clarets, a number of Spurs’ defenders failed to produce their best. However, 21-year-old centre-back Juan Foyth particularly struggled to deal with the physicality and aerial prowess of Sean Dyche’s side.
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The young Argentine had a game to forget at Turf Moor, and Pochettino may be tempted to take him out of the firing line for this crunch London Derby. That, though, would be a mistake.
Foyth has already shown he can compete against top teams this season – a recent display against Borussia Dortmund was particularly impressive. Against Chelsea, his attributes could also be key for the visitors.
A match he’s made for
Foyth is a ball-playing defender. The once-capped Argentina international has the ability to pick out passes and launch attacking moves from deep. Against a team of the Blues’ quality, having that weapon in his arsenal could be vital for Pochettino.
If Spurs aren’t able to play out from the back and retain possession then pressure will relentlessly mount on their defence. Foyth’s calmness and composure on the ball means that he can be trusted to use possession well to relieve the pressure on his team. Foyth is a preferable option to Davinson Sanchez for this duty.
What’s more, whilst Chelsea have some powerful players, the likes of Eden Hazard, Willian and Gonzalo Higuain don’t pose the same physical or aerial threat that Foyth struggled to cope with against Burnley. Pochettino must recognise that this match is much more suited to the Argentine than the recent clash at Turf Moor. He should, therefore, retain faith in Foyth.