Ange Postecoglou names ‘compelling’ Tottenham star who will be an asset in May
Ange Postecoglou has lifted the lid on what makes Richarlison such a unique presence in the final third for Tottenham, offering insight into how the Brazilian forward brings something different to Dominic Solanke.
Tottenham Hotspur’s depth this season has been very much tested and, truth be told, the Lilywhites have struggled to pass that test.
No position has been spared in the injury crisis that swept through the squad earlier this season. Yet, despite the setbacks, Spurs have remained competitive in attack.
Even with their disappointing league standing – 16th at the time of writing – Tottenham have managed to find the back of the net consistently and are currently ranked fifth for goals scored this campaign.
Ange Postecoglou compares Tottenham strikers Richarlison and Dominic Solanke
While that return is quite impressive for a side languishing so low in the table, it’s worth noting that between them, Richarlison and Solanke have netted 11 of the 61 goals Spurs have scored this season.
Those numbers do not make for great reading, as both forwards have significantly underperformed.
When asked about what separates the two centre-forwards, Ange Postecoglou was quick to point out the distinct attributes each player brings to the team.
According to the Tottenham boss, Richarlison is very much an 18-yard box forward, always lurking in dangerous areas, while Solanke operates in different zones and contributes in other ways.
He told football.london: “Just a different type of player. Richy is a real 18-yard box striker where he makes an impact when the ball arrives in the box.
“Whether that is on the air or on the ground, he is a real impact player and tends to play around those areas where as Dom will work in other areas, but ultimately they are both strikers that fit into how we want to play. Just with Richy we haven’t had him available to us.”
On Richarlison, Postecoglou added: “Not just this year, if you look at his record last year when he was playing, he was pretty compelling.
“With Richy, we haven’t been able to keep him fit and out there long enough, but the good thing is he is in a real good place physically now. Certainly with the opportunity we have before us, he becomes a real important player for us.”
Richarlison’s goalscoring return gives Spurs timely lift
Despite the Brazilian forward missing a huge chunk of the season, Richarlison has shown his quality in front of goal and, crucially, has outscored Solanke this year.
That knack for scoring was on full display during Richarlison’s first full 90 minutes since returning from injury, grabbing the only goal of the match for Tottenham when they faced Nottingham Forest.
Of course, given that kind of impact, his absence has been keenly felt. In fact, we reckon Richarlison is one of five fringe players now making a strong case to start against Glimt on Thursday.
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