Pundit leaps to the defence of under-fire Tottenham star
Nedum Onuoha believes that one senior Tottenham star remains an extremely key player for the North London side despite being on the receiving end of criticism over recent days.
Spurs midfielder now under the spotlight
Ange Postecoglou’s decision to take James Maddison off and bring on Pape Sarr at half-time against West Ham gave Tottenham’s midfield much better balance, with the home side blowing the Hammers away at the start of the second period.
The Spurs vice-captain was also hooked with 30 minutes left on the clock when the Lilywhites were searching for an equaliser against Crystal Palace.
That has led to a conversation regarding Maddison’s place in the team and whether the attacking midfielder belongs in Tottenham’s best eleven.
Tony Cascarino has said that the 27-year-old place in the Spurs side is no longer guaranteed (The Sunday Times) while Robbie Earle has suggested that the England star is a luxury player who does not work hard enough (The Two Robbies podcast).
Nedum Onuoha defends James Maddison
However, Onuoha is not convinced that Tottenham are necessarily better with Maddison, pointing out that the midfielder still continues to be valued highly by Ange Postecoglou.
The former Man City man wrote in his column for BBC Sport: “It does not feel fair to say Maddison does not work hard enough, especially given Ange Postecoglou starts him often.
“Yes, he has been substituted off in recent weeks but that is probably more to do with tactics. Postecoglou knows the balance of his team and what is right in each moment.
“His desire and impact on the game is the same as other people’s, so if he is not doing well in this moment then it is not because he is a bad player. It is the same for one or two other players in the team as well.”
Maddison’s role as a leader
Onuoha further pointed out that Maddison adds a lot to the Tottenham squad from a leadership perspective both on and off the pitch. The pundit backed the former Leicester City star to return to his best sooner rather than later.
The 37-year-old added: “His role as vice-captain goes beyond just being a leader on the pitch and is also important out on the training ground. It is about being respected and Postecoglou chose him because of that.
“If Postecoglou was not picking him altogether then that would suggest a larger issue. But as a manager, he is very good at picking players in the moment for the game at hand. It will click at Tottenham and that is when we will also get back to seeing the best of Maddison.”
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