Fit-Again Ryan Mason Adds Extra Strength to Tottenham's Improving Midfield

Ryan Mason could be forgiven for wishing his unintended sacrifice in scoring Tottenham Hotspur's winner against Sunderland had come on a more important occasion.

A north London derby or a big European night might have made suffering a knee injury that would keep him out for over a month more tolerable. A major career moment to enjoy reliving and keep spirits up even as he watched others excel in his place. Something more exciting than, with all due respect, an early-season strike against a struggling Black Cats side.

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"Yes, of course I’d take a whack, as long as I’m back for the next game," the 24-year-old told Tottenham's official website after that match. Although Mason will have taken pride in helping secure his team's first win of the season, the euphoria will have been short-lived as he considered the blow his individual momentum had suffered.

Now fit again, Mason has returned into a more complex midfield environment than the one he vacated in mid-September.

Spurs have built encouragingly on that Sunderland win, now sitting sixth, five points off top spot. Mason was one of their better performers in the preceding slow start, but there are no guarantees he will feature against Aston Villa as November gets underway.

Eric Dier has continued to provide a solid presence anchoring Spurs' midfield, essentially guaranteeing him one of the team's three central-midfield spots. More notable, as far as Mason's playing opportunities will be concerned, is the form of Dele Alli.

The 19-year-old had initially been situated further forward, tasked primarily with contributing to Spurs' attacking play. In Mason's absence, he stepped back to take on the more all-encompassing midfield role.

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Confidently maintaining the work rate and contribution to efforts in both halves provided by the former, the larger responsibilities have not burdened Alli.

He more than held his own in his new club's most impressive win, the 4-1 dismantling of title hopefuls Manchester City in late September. Called up to the senior England squad, he did not look out of place there in an up-and-comer slot that had previously looked to be Mason's.

Having started the season at right-midfield, Mousa Dembele has also reiterated his credentials as a central option.

Impressively assertive in the recent 0-0 draw with Liverpool, the Belgium international played more shyly back home against Anderlecht in the Europa League. He bounced back well with a goal in Sunday's 5-1 win over Bournemouth, though, taking his turn in an advanced central role Alli and Mason have also occupied at points this season.

"We’ve got competition for places all over the pitch, and that’s why we’re doing so well," Mason said to Spurs' website (above) ahead of the visit of Aston Villa. "Everyone is on their toes, improving each other. The players who aren’t playing are training hard and driving on the players who are playing."

While also mentioning his hope of getting back into Mauricio Pochettino's starting XI, Mason may have to make do with back-up duty for the time being. At least in the Premier League.

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Mason replaced Dembele in the 68th minute at Bournemouth, slotting into central midfield with Alli pushed forward for the game's remainder.

At this point, spare a thought for Nabil Bentaleb. Last season's midfield mainstay is suffering from an injury that has denied him a chance to get his 2015-16 off the ground.

With Christian Eriksen and Erik Lamela also contending for the more attacking position, you suspect Mason will be battling for that deeper role. Following an energetic but unproductive effort in the hole in August's 0-0 draw with Everton, Pochettino said that was where his playing prospects most likely are.

Alli's good form warrants his continued inclusion. Team-mate Harry Kane recently spoke glowingly of him in an interview with Sky Sports' Johnny Phillips.

In addition to being content with performing the less glamorous aspects of a midfielder's life, he has a skill and dribbling ability with which Mason is not so blessed. That's not to mention he has less hesitance than Dembele in utilising his underpinning athleticism to close down the opposition and seek to capitalise on ground gained.

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Mason's well-timed forays into the box against Everton and the goal against Sunderland—finishing a superb passing move he helped instigate—demonstrated the more eye-pleasing, technical facets of his game. However, his inroad back to starting recognition and involvement is likely to come through the general energy and determination he brings to the team—again, see the way he grabbed that Sunderland game by the scruff of the neck—channeled via an increasing understanding of when to hold back and when to make a more forceful intervention.

They are the qualities that earned him his chance under Pochettino in the first place, trumping the quieter efforts of others such as Dembele and Etienne Capoue last season. Tottenham's tepid failure to build on an early lead against Anderlecht was one such example in his recent layoff of when Mason may have made a difference, even off the bench.

The north Londoners should not be lacking for motivation and drive in a November that sees them follow Villa with must-win Europa League games and three big London derbies. Should they need it at any point, Mason is as good as option Pochettino has in contributing such a boost.

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