Signed by Poch, sold for £12m: Spurs gem has more assists than Maddison this season – opinion

For under £12 million, the Lilywhites let go of a great talent who is currently more inventive than James Maddison.

Ange Postecoglou’s impact has been immediate and revolutionary, and Tottenham Hotspur’s start to the season has been nothing short of amazing.

The Australian was well-liked because of his prior work with the Australian national team, Yokohama F. Marinos, and Celtic, among many other organizations. However, few people could have expected how easily a guy without previous experience in a position with such high demands would adapt to north London

In reality, the 58-year-old has established himself as one of the Premier League’s best managers by creating a positive environment in N17 that hasn’t existed there since Mauricio Pochettino’s reign.

As a result, he has pleaded with viewers to let their hopes for the season run wild, saying: “No, no, no, let them go, let them enjoy it. My job is not to pop people’s bubbles, as I have already stated. The benefit of being a supporter is that you can let them become excited and ahead of themselves.

“They go through enough pain, let them enjoy and if they think we’re going to be world-beaters great, it’s then up to us to match those expectations. Our supporters deserve to have some happiness and they can enjoy it anyway they want to.”

James Maddison’s efforts on the field cannot be overstated, even though he is the only one receiving credit for being the catalyst for this resurgence. He has also gotten right to work since his relocation and appears to have what it takes to lead their uprising.

How good is James Maddison?

Given Leicester City’s weakened negotiating position, many people may have questioned the £40 million asking price for the newly demoted maestro. Newcastle United was also interested, therefore it seemed logical to make sure a trade could be closed quickly.

Particularly considering how much the 26-year-old has enjoyed his first few months in north London, where he has already scored twice and provided assists in five other Premier League games.

Joe Cole even claimed that his acquisition was the best throughout the window due to his never-ending ingenuity and cunning trickery, which had a significant role in several significant successes attained: “The more I think about it he could be the best signing of the summer. I am so excited for him, especially the way Ange plays.”

His numbers are not only excellent on a surface level, but they also support those patterns, suggesting that this is a collaboration that is destined for long-term success. He is in the top 1% for assists and shot-creating actions per 90, the top 6% for progressive passes per 90, and the top 3% for predicted assisted goals, according to FBref, when compared to other offensive midfielders in Europe.

It shouldn’t be surprising that he has developed into one of the best creators in the division; in fact, he is one of three players in the Premier League with the most assists.

Therefore, it makes perfect sense that talkSPORT analyst Andy Townsend praised him, saying: “I have really enjoyed watching Maddison. I think he appreciates being sort of the focal point of the squad, which is why I have enjoyed seeing him play. That fits his demeanor, in my opinion. Impressive, I must say.

The former star of the Lilywhites, who they lament leaving behind, is actually one of the three with five assists for the year. Few could have anticipated how extraordinary Kieran Trippier’s later years would be, after all.

Why did Spurs sell Kieran Trippier?

Although the former Burnley player had established himself as a true Spurs mainstay, playing a crucial role in their journey to the Champions League final and a couple of feeble title runs, the 33-year-old revealed to The Athletic how painful the circumstances surrounding his 2019 leave would be.

The talented player from Yorkshire said: “As a footballer, you try your best, but sometimes things don’t go your way. I simply wasn’t getting picked by Mauricio Pochettino, but it kept occurring.

“After the Champions League final, it felt like the right time to move on. The media weren’t really on my side at the time and maybe I needed to get out of England for a bit just to clear my mind. I never looked back.

“What annoyed me … as you know, people in football speak and there are always rumours, but I know 100 per cent for a fact – and this is what I was most angry about – that two months before the end of the season, Daniel (Levy, the chairman) was offering me to other clubs.

“I knew for certain that was happening, so I knew my time there must be up. I was playing for my teammates and the supporters, but I also knew I wasn’t wanted.”

He would eventually leave for just £12 million during a betting controversy and later return to Newcastle United to lead that team’s extraordinary revolution.

How is Kieran Trippier performing now?

Even though Trippier and Maddison are tied for first place in the league, the right back now leads Maddison in assists in all competitions thanks to his help in their 4-1 Champions League victory over Paris Saint-Germain.

Given the genuinely exceptional year he had the previous campaign, it should not be surprising to see the £120,000 per week genius continue to play defense with such incredible ingenuity. According to Sofascore, his eight goal contributions were backed up by 2.9 critical passes and 1.9 tackles per game as they finished fourth against all odds while he played in every league game.

Many have praised his guts in returning to a club that was in danger of relegation and leading them to safety. Alan Shearer has led the accolades, saying: “Some of the balls he was hitting into the box were just fantastic. He’s been a wonderful addition to Newcastle and is in excellent form.

Such an idea would be supported by pundit Trevor Sinclair, who stated: “When you’re unwell and have a long-term ailment like Kieran Trippier has, you don’t need to travel [to the matches]. He is not required to perform it as a member of the team.

You don’t have to travel to away games, particularly since they are 200–250 miles distant. But to me, that only serves to highlight Trippier’s character and the fact that the club didn’t sign him simply because he wanted to leave for some quick cash and fame. He went there to try to accomplish something and returned for other reasons.

It is safe to assume that he has accomplished this, and out-creating Maddison is only one of his numerous accomplishments.