Scout Report - Alex Pritchard

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.