Tottenham star James Maddison, signed from Leicester City in a £40m deal last summer, has encountered challenges adapting to Ange Postecoglou’s tactical system, according to pundit Perry Groves.
Maddison made a blistering start to the season, directly contributing to 8 goals in his first 11 Premier League games.
However, his momentum was disrupted by an ankle injury sustained against Chelsea in November, sidelining him for almost two and a half months.
Since returning from injury, Maddison has struggled to replicate his earlier form, managing just 1 goal and 2 assists in 11 games compared to his earlier tally of 3 goals and 5 assists.
Groves believes Porro and Udogie are limiting Maddison’s freedom
Groves suggests that Maddison’s frustration on the pitch, evident during recent games, stems from tactical challenges posed by Postecoglou’s system.
The presence of inverted full-backs crowds the central area, limiting Maddison’s freedom to play as a traditional number 10.
In particular, Groves notes Maddison’s dissatisfaction when substituted, indicating his disappointment with the team’s performance and his inability to exert influence in his preferred role.
Speaking on the Premier League All Access podcast, Groves stated:
“There’s one player who I’ve seen at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium a couple of times get frustrated when he’s been dragged off, James Maddison.
“He should have been sent off, he should’ve been booked twice. That’s frustration, because with Udogie coming one side and Porro coming the other, then there’s an overload in that central area and James Maddison doesn’t get that freedom as the 10.
“And you could tell even yesterday when he got substituted that he was frustrated. Obviously, disappointed that his team got beat, but you can tell he’s getting frustrated.”
TBH Says:
We do not think his dip in form has got anything to do with Ange’s tactical set up considering how well he was performing in the same team when he first joined.
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