Keeping It Simple Can Help Andros Townsend Back into Tottenham Starting XI

Tottenham Hotspur were toiling creatively away at Sunderland when Andros Townsend replaced Son Heung-Min on the 62nd minute. It remained 0-0 and the north-east club had enjoyed the best of the chances.

Though not involved in Tottenham's eventual winner, Townsend's introduction helped his team finally begin to cause Sunderland problems. A half-hour showing that will have reminded head coach Mauricio Pochettino of the benefits of utilising his winger's direct, more simple style.

Before Townsend begins to focus on getting back into his boss' starting XI, he was understandably delighted to make his first competitive appearance of the season.

A shoulder injury initially slowed his pre-season progress before an ankle problem ruled him out of Spurs' first few games proper.

Getting the nod to come on against Sunderland not only satisfied the itch to play. It will have also given the 24-year-old hope he still has a place in the current setup.

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Townsend ended last season out of the team, a mixed run of form in the spring leading to Erik Lamela moving back ahead of him in right-midfield. Given the potential impact a lack of first-team football may have on his England place (not to mention his professional pride), he was unsurprisingly linked with a transfer this past summer.

ESPN FC reported in July Townsend was considering his future. In August the London Evening Standard's Tom Collomosse had the player as keen to stay, but believed Spurs would be open to selling him to numerous willing takers in the Premier League if he became available.

As it is, Townsend has remained and Pochettino confirmed "he is part of my plan." Putting the England international's intermittent involvement in 2014-15 down to the demands of competing on several fronts (four at one stage for Spurs), but also noting there were points others deserved to be playing more.

"It’s difficult to have only 11 players and play with the same players always," the Argentinian said in his pre-Everton press conference. "It’s about the moment during the year because we compete 10 months and it’s not easy to keep the same level all the time."

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Speaking to Tottenham's official website in June, Townsend admitted frustration at being in and out of the team. "Of course, everyone wants to play and I’ve had a couple of runs in the team where I’ve played six or seven games on the trot and then had runs where I’ve not been involved so much."

Perhaps crucially, he was well aware of his own need to improve here if he is going to play more often. "In 2015-16 it’s all about consistency and I’ll be trying my hardest in pre-season to get myself as fit as possible so I can sustain a place in the team and make a real impression."

Time will tell about whether Townsend can deploy his talents on a more consistent basis in a year that will decide whether he has a long-term future in north London (his current contract expires in two years). He got off to a good start at Sunderland.

Townsend provided a welcome straightforwardness that had been lacking in Spurs' mostly ponderous and hesitant approach-play up until then. Son and his new team-mates Dele Alli, Nacer Chadli and Harry Kane had combined attractively in places, but rarely looked on the same page as an attacking unit (somewhat understandable, it being the South Korean's debut).

In his first times in possession Townsend twice got the better of Sunderland left-back Patrick van Aanholt, showing him a brief glimpse of the ball before speeding away towards the byline and crossing in. These moments helped change the momentum in Spurs' favour, establishing a unity of ideas that helped them start exposing the tiring Black Cats.

It was the encouragingly involved fellow substitute Erik Lamela who would set up the winning goal, threading Ryan Mason through to finish an excellent passing move. Townsend had been vital in the preceding turnaround, however, and he continued to lead Spurs' attempts to add to their lead. Van Aanholt became wise to his bursts on the outside, so the winger smartly started going inwards, linking nicely with Chadli and helping create chances for Kane and Lamela.

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There were plenty of similarly impressive glimpses (who can forget his stunning solo goal in the home win over Swansea City?) and one-off performances (such as his lead role in the Europa League away defeat of Asteras Tripolis) from Townsend last season too. Yet he was just as likely to be anonymous, or quickly stifled by opposing full-backs prepared for his game.

To prove to Pochettino he can be consistently relied upon, he will need to demonstrate he can be effective beyond one half-hour spell. That he can follow up a good day with another good day and then one more after that.

It will be in doing the simple things well were Townsend can begin to establish this base of performance. The directness with which he put Sunderland on the back-foot will not always be achievable, especially at White Hart Lane where more lowly sides are prone to sit back on Tottenham.

The efficiency he used the ball with at the Stadium of Light was a reminder he can contribute to more thoughtful, patience-requiring passages of play too. A vital tool in breaking down more obstinate opponents, it will also be vital to Townsend convincing Pochettino he can be just as useful as a Christian Eriksen, Lamela or Son in fulfilling the creative ambitions of the Spurs attack.

With two fixtures a week now for the best part of a month, beginning with Qarabag FK in the Europa League on Thursday, Townsend should have opportunities to show what he can do.

Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

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