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Igor Tudor can only dream of having a fully fit Tottenham squad at his disposal for this weekend’s north London derby. If he did, his Spurs XI would look very different.
Coming into this weekend’s north London derby, Igor Tudor is set to be without at least 12 of his Tottenham Hotspur players.
The likes of Dejan Kulusevski, Mohammed Kudus, James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall, Ben Davies and Wilson Odobert remain sidelined for the long term.
Tudor cannot call on a few Spurs players he has worked with, with Rodrigo Bentancur and Cristian Romero also unavailable for this clash – the former injured and the latter suspended.
Kevin Danso is also out with no return date pencilled in, while Destiny Udogie continues to nurse his hamstring problem, a knock picked up in the United clash a few weeks ago.
Pedro Porro and Richarlison could be available, but it remains touch-and-go with both stars, all representing the 12 players Tudor will not be able to call on.
It is, of course, a big blow, but what if Tudor did not have any injuries to contend with? What players would have made his first Tottenham XI? Here is our pick.
Tottenham dream XI: Igor Tudor would start vs Arsenal if fully fit
Goalkeeper – Guglielmo Vicario – There currently is no injury to either of Spurs’ shot-stoppers, with both Vicario and Kinsky fit, and as such, we expect that the Croatian will stick with the experienced Vicario regardless.
Centre-back – Cristian Romero – Despite the Argentine’s flaws – his tendency to be rash at times – he still is one of the best centre-backs in the world and, if available, he makes the Spurs XI no matter the manager.
Centre-back – Kevin Danso – The Austrian is slowly becoming Mr Reliable, a tag once held by Ben Davies. Any time he has been called into action, he has delivered solid displays; if fit, he pretty much gets into the squad ahead of Radu Dragusin.
Centre-back – Micky van de Ven – Both Romero and van de Ven formed a solid partnership under Thomas Frank. If Tudor is going to turn to a back three, van de Ven gets in easily, given his ability to defend large spaces and cover ground quickly.
Wing-back – Pedro Porro – The Spaniard has the tendency to switch off defensively, and being used as a wing-back could well suit him, given he is much better going forward. Having him in his natural position is better than deploying Archie Gray out of position.
Pivot midfielder – Conor Gallagher – The Englishman is slowly finding his rhythm in a Tottenham shirt, and it is clear he brings something different to Bentancur and Palhinha – his ability to run tirelessly and help with pressing. If everyone is fit, we expect Gallagher to be the preferred midfielder.
Pivot midfielder – Archie Gray – Spurs need a good mix of youth and experience in their squad, and Gray represents one of those younger profiles. This season, there is a case to be made that he has been the most consistent Spurs player. Regardless of where he is deployed, he is sure to give you a solid 7/10 performance and, for that, he makes the XI if everyone is fit.
Wing-back – Destiny Udogie – It would, of course, be a toss-up between the Italian and Djed Spence. The latter has proven he can do it all – full-back, left midfield or even as a winger – he is a very capable all-round player. But we expect Udogie to be the preferred option for Tudor if everyone is fit, as he is a more natural fit on the left side, given he is left-footed, which adds balance to the side.
Attacking midfielder – James Maddison – When it comes to creativity, if everyone is fit, one would expect Maddison to make the cut over Xavi Simons. Of course, the Dutchman has been impressive, but Maddison’s understanding of the Premier League will simply give him an edge in a match-up against the Gunners.
Attacking midfielder – Dejan Kulusevski – The Swede would make the cut as the second number ten over Mohammed Kudus, simply because he is a more rounded player. Kulusevski brings creativity and hard work to the side – a player capable of pressing from the front, tracking back and carrying the ball from deep.
Striker – Dominic Solanke – The Englishman remains the most prolific of the forwards in the Spurs squad at the moment. He is also excellent when it comes to bringing his teammates into the game and holding up play.
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