The aura
Mauricio Pochettino has brought to Tottenham Hotspur has been refreshing. Spurs
are playing some of their best football for a while, the big games no longer
result in massacres, and the squad is as youthful as ever.
Harry Kane,
Nabil Bentaleb and Ryan Mason are just a few to benefit under Pochettino, and
over recent weeks, Spurs fans have been reading a lot about the impact of loan
star Alex Pritchard.
Tottenham
by blood and Brentford by affiliation, I have been fortunate to watch Pritchard
many times this season, and if there’s one thing I have to say about the
matter, it’s this - believe the hype.
When you
hear about the marvels of a young star, it’s usually just stat-padding. Sure,
they’ll score or assist or keep clean sheets, but ultimately, they don’t offer
a lot to a team, ultimately failing to make it at the highest level.
Pritchard
isn’t that kind of player.
Brentford
have surprised many punters this season, and many tipped them for relegation
straight back to League 1. They operate on a tiny budget, play in a small,
dilapidated stadium, and live in the shadows of their fellow London clubs. By
theory, the Bees shouldn’t survive in the Championship.
Manager
Mark Warburton has turned Brentford into what their fans sing from the terraces
- “The Barcelona of the lower leagues”. The players on the books at Griffin
Park aren’t the usual route-one taught lads you expect in the Football League.
The likes of Jota, Alan Judge and Pritchard make Brentford a side easy on the
eye and one fighting for promotion.
Like
Tottenham, Brentford play with a high pressing 4-2-3-1 with a fluid midfield
trio. Pritchard usually starts on the right, but covers an equal distance
through the middle and on the left. He works immensely hard, and glides across
the pitch with an ease and swagger that has left the Brentford faithful wanting
more.
With a drop
of the shoulder, Pritchard is gone; you’re not going to catch him. He may not
be the paciest player, but he’s quick enough to beat one man and work magic
with it, whether it be through a mazing dribble or a pick-pocketing pass.
His head
may look like it’s down, concentrating on keeping the ball glued to his boot,
but he’s really just drawing pictures in his mind. The understanding Pritchard
has with his teammates in admirable to say the least, and he does well to judge
where his teammates are. Rarely does Pritchard make a mindless mistake unlike
so many Tottenham players, and yes, his free-kicks really are that great.
Does
Pricthard have a future at Tottenham? Absolutely. Pochettino loves integrating
young players into the team, even ones written off long go (RE: Ryan Mason).
The praise he’s received from Warburton is very high indeed:
“Alex
is at his best with the ball at his feet.
“He
sees a pass. He’s the best player I’ve seen in this division, certainly, to
receive the ball on the half-turn at pace.
“Left
or right side, he has the ability to take it on the half-turn and for us, how
we play, that hurts the opposition.
“Technically
he’s outstanding. For me, Pritch is nailed on Premier League.
“I’d
never be disrespectful enough to speak about what Spurs should do or could do
with him.
“But
in my opinion – and I’m a Spurs fan, by the way – I think he is more than good
enough to go and positively impact their playing squad.”
An
extremely hard worker, a talented footballer, and has the mentality that’s
aided the likes of Kane and Mason break into the Tottenham team - Alex
Pritchard could be next.
