Scouting Cristhian Mosquera: Strengths, Weaknesses & Tactical Fit for Tottenham Hotspur

Strengths

Well, despite his young age, Mosquera has over ninety (90) appearances for the first team at Mestalla, which shows that he does have that experience under his belt at a young age, and with that comes how reliable he is in high-pressure situations. And given his physical frame of 1.88 m, he excels when it comes to aerial duels, which also makes him an important part of set pieces (and other dead ball situations) on both ends of the pitch.

But these days the defenders are not only about defending, are they? Mosquera is also quite comfortable with the ball at his feet and has the capacity to initiate first-phase plays from the back while aligning with the demands that come with playing under someone like Ange, who likes to grow with modern football’s demands.

But he is not only a centre-back; you can also deploy him as a right-back, offering the Australian head coach some further tactical flexibility.

Weaknesses

While he has a seasoned experience playing in the Spanish top tier, Mosquera doesn’t have the exposure of European tournaments yet, and this could be a learning curve at Tottenham. Moreover, while he is physical, we need to understand that the Premier League is also intense and that may also require a grace period that he needs to adjust to the demands in front of him.

There are also rumours that Mikel Arteta is looking at the 20-year-old as a backup to William Saliba at the Emirates Stadium, and this may end up costing the Lilywhites an opportunity to land him. Levy will have to present a strong case with promised minutes if Spurs are to beat the Gunners to his signatures.

How will Mosquera fit at Tottenham Hotspur?

If we look at how Ange Postecoglou likes to play his defensive line, the North Londoners put on a high defensive line when in control of games, and then he likes his defenders to play with the ball and build from the back, so how does Mosquera and his profile come in line with the principles that the Australian head coach has deployed at N17?

Mosquera has the ability to play accurate long balls, and this can help initiate quick transitions (or transition-like situations), which is more of a key aspect of how Postecoglou plays. Moreover, the 20-year-old has that anticipation and ability to read the game that helps him to intercept passes and get the better of opposition plays quite effectively. Given his physical stature, it will be crucial for the North Londoners in defending set-pieces or against physical strikers like Erling Haaland, Liam Delap and Kai Havertz.

Author Opinion

If you are to ask us, it does look like Cristhian Mosquera has that blend of the kind of player that Levy wants to sign: someone who is young but has commendable experience while possessing the potential and technical prowess. And then given how his strengths do end up aligning with the current defensive tactical philosophy at Hotspur Way makes him an interesting option.

That being said, competition from the likes of Arsenal can end up costing Tottenham, but if Tottenham can end up securing his signatures, Mosquera could end up becoming instrumental to the current project for years to come.