The Daily Mail’s Sami Mokbel sheds light on the growing expectations surrounding Giovani Lo Celso’s role at Tottenham, suggesting that the Argentine midfielder is set to receive more playing time under manager Ange Postecoglou.
The absence of James Maddison, sidelined with an ankle injury, initially fueled speculation that Lo Celso would step into the starting lineup against Wolves in the previous week. Lo Celso, perceived as the most natural like-for-like replacement for Maddison, seemed poised to take on a pivotal role in the midfield.
However, Postecoglou surprised many by tweaking the system and choosing to start Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in a midfield trio alongside Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma. This decision raised eyebrows as Tottenham struggled for creativity during a significant portion of the match, only to find a renewed attacking vigor once Lo Celso and Rodrigo Bentancur were brought in as substitutes.
Looking ahead to the upcoming clash against Aston Villa, Postecoglou faces decisions regarding the midfield lineup, with the additional option of utilizing either Brennan Johnson or Dejan Kulusevski as a number ten.
Sami Mokbel, offering insights into Postecoglou’s perspective, emphasized the manager’s admiration for Lo Celso. Mokbel noted in a Q&A session with The Mail, “Lo Celso is certainly the sort of player that would fit into Postecglou’s system. It’s clear that Maddison is Postecoglou’s preference in that central attacking midfield role.”
Despite Maddison’s preference, the ankle injury sidelining him for a minimum of six weeks has opened the door for Lo Celso to showcase his capabilities. Mokbel stated, “But Lo Celso is understood to have impressed Postecoglou in training and in normal circumstances would have been given more of a chance to feature.”
With the international break providing a timely opportunity for adjustments and recalibrations, Lo Celso appears poised to capitalize on the manager’s confidence in his abilities. Mokbel concluded, “The form of Maddison means the England international was undroppable. But the ankle injury that rules Maddison out for at least six weeks means Lo Celso will get his chance.”
As the Argentine midfielder awaits his chance in the starting lineup, Tottenham fans can anticipate seeing Lo Celso make a significant impact on the pitch, injecting creativity and flair into the team’s midfield dynamics.