Why Manor Solomon deserves a second chance at Tottenham Hotspur – Opinion

The first thing about Thomas Frank is that he does not rely on flashy individualism but instead bags on two-way discipline and vertical transitions, and this is where Solomon’s ability can be utilised.

The Israeli is one of the few players at Tottenham who has that genuine stride when he takes his dribbles, especially in 1v1s, which is very reminiscent of how Pedro Neto and Gabriel Martinelli of Chelsea and Arsenal, respectively, take on their markers. Solomon hugs the touchline and then cuts in quite aggressively.

Moreover, given his low-centre-of-gravity turns, he creates separation with his marker, all whilst he is carrying the ball with tempo, so this has a domino effect wherein he either ends up winning fouls or ends up destabilising the opponents’ shape.

If you are thinking of that Frank-style mid-block system, Solomon becomes a release point wherein he is someone that has the capacity to progress the ball into attacking zones without structured buildup (something we have seen in a very direct Brentford over the years under the Dane manager).

But more importantly, Solomon plays with discipline without the ball, and this is something that Frank demands given how the 25-year-old presses and tracks back, and this way he is giving that structured width to the side, which is quite important against teams that play in a compact manner at the back.

Why keeping Solomon makes sense to me…

To start with, given that he was signed on a free transfer, there is no resale pressure to maintain the fee on Daniel Levy. But as we move beyond finances, he is a left-footed and direct winger, which the North Londoners don’t have in the squad if you consider how Son is ageing and losing his strides with the ball.

I am not saying you play Solomon in games, but the fact that he can become a rotation piece still adds a lot to the depth of the offensive roster. He is ideal when it comes to cup games and is someone who can get better of low-block. Thomas Frank can also use him as an off-the-bench chaos. And he is a low-cost asset given his wages and ends up being a high-utility depth player in a squad that is looking to play a 50-game season.

Author Opinion

Manor Solomon warrants a second chance, and this isn’t a sentimental choice; it makes more structural sense. The thing is that he is built for a system where directness and dependability are valued much more than flair. Under Thomas Frank, Solomon provides a flexible, system-compliant profile and at a zero marginal cost.