Igor Thiago vs Ivan Toney: Who fits Thomas Frank’s Tottenham better?

We know Ivan Toney from how he caused havoc during his time at Brentford. And while the England international has been playing in the Saudi Pro League, there is a possibility of him returning to Hotspur Way sometime soon.

If we are speaking about his qualities on the ball, Toney is elite in terms of his ability to play with his back to goal, given that he is always quick to pounce on long balls and then is good at finding teammates through half-spaces (very Kane-like in a sense). A lot of times when he is under pressure with his back to the goal, he still manages diagonal passes into the runners.

And then when it comes to his abilities inside the box, Toney is someone who has this knack of being in the right place at the right time. He either arrives at the near post quite early or is ready to attack the cut-backs from the flanks.

Moreover, Toney has an outstanding penalty record.

The former Bees skipper is also dominant when it comes to set pieces (much like Frank). He is someone who picks up the tiny details in set-piece situations, be it creating screens to free others or winning flick-ons on the near post. There were sequences as well where he kept at the far post to tap it in.

Given that he has already worked with Thomas Frank extensively, he will know the ins and outs of how the Dane head coach wants his team to play.

If you put Toney in the current setup at Hotspur Way, the first thing we get is him releasing in spaces for the likes of Porro and Odobert to cross. It could ideally give Tottenham a way to penetrate defences, given that a high number of deliveries can result in some genuine goal-scoring chances (especially given his aerial presence).

Another thing we could see happening with Toney upfront is how he can get close to scrappy plays and free creators like Kudus and Simons, who can then receive the ball in spaces/half spaces, respectively.

He can also be a huge asset in dead ball situations. Given that he was trained under Frank at Brentford for years.

That being said, bringing Toney back means he will come with a hefty fee and equally creamy wages. And it would have to be seen whether Tottenham would be willing to meet those demands to land someone who is not going to be a long-term option at Hotspur Way.

And moreover, he has been playing in the Middle East, and there is a chance that he would take some time to adjust to the pace of the English top tier once again.

There is an opportunity with Igor Thiago

The current Brentford striker is a bit different in terms of profile from Ivan Toney, but from what we have seen of him this season, he does have strong potential for the North Londoners.

Thiago is more of someone who likes to create direct channels, and most of the time he likes to attack space. While he is physical, he is also mobile. He tries to drive past defenders by running off their shoulders.

Though he is not quite there in terms of lay-off passes, especially given his first touch under heavy pressure, he is still developing there. His game needs to be developed into this frame.

And when it comes to having that final touch, he tries to target spaces between centre-backs and full-backs (like we have seen in a few of his goals this season).

Moreover, he does have solid ability in the air, but then he still needs to develop that timing to get on early in crossing situations.

Off the ball, if you look at how he presses, it is quite exactly what Tottenham want in a striker. Igor takes long strides to close opponents out, and then he has a knack for forcing passes out wide while possessing the stamina to initiate a re-press.

In the current Lilywhites setup, he can help the technical players in getting that space (much like Toney). But then he is more of a counter-presser than the Englishman. Moreover, his presence complemented vertical players on the squad like Palhinha and Bentancur.

But that being said, it is highly unlikely for Brentford to sell Thiago in the middle of a season where he is a key cog offensively.

Igor Thiago vs Ivan Toney?

If we look at this purely from a short-term perspective for Tottenham, then let’s be honest: Thiago’s hold-up play is not yet as good as Toney’s against compact defences.

But then the former has the capacity to become an integral part of Lilywhites’ attack for years to come, whereas Toney would only be a plug-and-play option.

On paper, given how Tottenham have been operating of late, it does make sense to sign Igor Thiago. But then the question is, will Brentford agree to sell him mid-season?