Team Focus: Midfield Signings of 2013 Coming Good Under Pochettino

Back in early June, as Mauricio Pochettino was just getting accustomed to his new job at Tottenham Hotspur, one of his first pieces of business was dealing with a player who was rightfully concerned about his first impressions. The Argentine had a heart-to-heart with his compatriot Erik Lamela.

Juventus were interested in the player, who was so sensational at Roma. Given how disappointing his year at Tottenham had been, it would have been difficult to criticise Lamela had he decided on a return to somewhere he clearly enjoyed so much more. It would have made sense, and been understandable.

That clearly wasn’t how he or his manager saw it. Pochettino blocked the move and told Lamela he saw him as a key player, but what was even more encouraging was the younger Argentine's response. He wanted to properly prove himself in England, to stay and fight.

It is a spirit that has run through Tottenham right now, and could yet put a different spin on the summer of 2013. It’s fair to say that the majority of players that the club signed with the Gareth Bale money did not work out. Two of them made less than 10 starts in the league, none of them really ignited in any way.

Christian Eriksen perhaps came closest to justifying his signing, with some sparkling moments and a decent return, but even that form was somewhat patchy. By the end of the season, Tottenham looked precisely like the disparate disorganised bunch of strangers they were.

The signings were generally labelled a waste, and the club seemed like a case study for sides in similar situations, such as Liverpool. Spurs were supposedly a warning of how not to do things.

That may change. Pochettino’s management has already changed some of the signings. Take some of the most obvious stats. For one, there’s the most obvious stat of all: goals. Nacer Chadli is the joint fifth highest scorer in the league, with four goals from six starts out wide.

Then there’s Etienne Capoue, who no longer looks anywhere near as shaky. By contrast, he is the foundation of Spurs’ entire game. The defensive midfielder plays 73 passes per match, which is the fifth highest in the Premier League.

Beyond that, there’s the new impetus of Erik Lamela. He offers at least three dribbles per game, which is the second highest in the Premier League behind Chelsea’s Eden Hazard. That is quite a contrast from last season, where he was only offering one, in a handful of meek displays.

The difference was so conspicuous in Sunday’s 1-0 win over Southampton. Lamela regularly got on the ball from deep and attempted to drive his way through the opposition half. He reflected Spurs’ purpose and direction.

That match also further emphasised Pochettino’s intentions. His new core would appear to be Capoue alongside another defensive midfielder - in that game Ryan Mason - behind Lamela, Eriksen and Chadli.

With that in mind, a comparison with last season’s figures for each reveals a little more about how their general games are coming on.

Capoue is clearly much more all-action, as revealed by his greater number of tackles and interceptions, let alone those passes. Lamela has been given licence to run and probe, with 1.9 key passes per game up from 0.7, and Eriksen is that bit more direct as his shots have increased.

Chadli meanwhile seems to have been charged with counter-balancing the other too, introducing greater economy to his play to allow Eriksen and Lamela to surge. Of course, it’s still rather early to judge, but that’s almost the point. Lamela and Eriksen are just 22, Chadli 25 and Capoue 26.  

Tottenham seem to have an encouraging nucleus for the future, which makes the perceptions of last season all the more out of place. Impressions could yet change further. Pochettino almost seems convinced of it.

“We arrive in a difficult period for Tottenham. How Tottenham played in the last couple of years is different to our ideas. We now we need time to put different philosophy in practice. You need time on the training ground. Always it’s more difficult to put in practice.” Some of the boys of 2013, however, are already finding it easier than last season. 

What do you think has improved for Spurs under Pochettino? Let us know in the comments below