Walker return could lift Spurs

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I must say I’m not so keen on Spurs playing ‘inverted wingers’.

However, for this system to work you need attacking full-backs. Danny Rose is certainly capable of bombing on down the left – what we need now is for Kyle Walker to return down the right.

It feels like ages since Walker was last fit. The signs are that he’s on his way back, but no date appears to have been set. It seems odd to be pinning hope on a full-back to be fit to improve your attacking options, but in our current system the full-backs get the most attacking space.

Mauricio Pochettino clearly believes in using inverted wingers as even during cup games he plays right-footers on the left and vice-versa. This clearly doesn’t suit Aaron Lennon and so it’s little wonder he doesn’t get picked for Premier League games.

Lennon did have a ‘retro moment’ on Wednesday night when he popped up on the right, dropped his shoulder, then went outside… ah, those were the days!

I think it would suit Erik Lamela to play from the left, as he had much more impact against Brighton than in the last two Premier League games. When Lamela cuts in from the right he not only moves into traffic, he slows the move down. Spurs are much better when they play with pace.

If, as seems likely, Pochettino persists with his preferred way of playing then we’ll continue to look a little lop-sided until Walker returns as Kyle Naughton and Eric Dier are not naturally attacking full-backs. Both try their best, but Naughton doesn’t have Walker’s afterburners, while Dier is a centre half really.

I’m not saying that Walker will cure all Spurs’ ills, but his pace and attacking verve will certainly improve the team and I believe will make Pochettino’s preferred system work all the better.

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