De Zerbi has his answer in 6/10 Tottenham star and now he has to trust it

Tottenham earned a narrow 1-0 win against Wolves.

It has been a while, but Tottenham finally found a way to be on the winning side of things as the Lilywhites beat Wolves at Molineux Stadium. It is a game that many Spurs supporters would be hoping to be the turning point in Tottenham’s season, not just for the three points it got but also for what it showed on the pitch.

Let’s be honest, the Lilywhites looked quite nervy for the first forty-five minutes. It looked like an evening that would go exactly how the last fifteen went, but then there was a bit of inspiration that the Lilywhites found in Mathys Tel despite him only putting in a 6/10 performance on rating.

The Frenchman stepped onto the pitch at half-time, replacing his countryman Kolo Muani, and he straight away started looking like an inspiration.

Despite a 6/10 rating, Tel had an inspiring outing vs Wolves

The Frenchman had three successful dribbles and won eight duels in the forty-five minutes or so he was on the pitch. And these numbers tell only part of it. He brought a sense of intent. He was willing to take risks and try to run at defenders. Tel was the only player who was trying to force the game on the front foot, especially when it desperately needed to find some sense of spark. (h/t Football Insider)

And this is exactly what Tottenham and Roberto De Zerbi have been missing in the front line for the majority of the season: someone who can drive a sense of spark. And that is exactly what Tel did vs Wolves.

That also showed, though, in the words of pundits. Steph Houghton, speaking on Match of the Day, described the former Bayern Munich man as someone who “creates carnage”. This shows how much of a breath of fresh air Tel was yesterday.

Does Tel deserve to start against Aston Villa next weekend?

Now with a win already in the bag, Tottenham would want to build on it, and that starts from the Lilywhites’ trip to Aston Villa next weekend. And going to a difficult away place like Villa Park, there is always a temptation for the gaffers to lean on experienced players and to trust them, and that is where Randal Kolo Muani has had the upper hand.

But let’s be honest, Muani has struggled all season, and his reputation cannot dictate selection anymore, especially not with the stakes that Tottenham have in front of them.

Tel should be given the nod. Hopefully, he inspires Tottenham to another three points.