Why Toby Alderweireld Must Step Up in Absence of Jan Vertonghen for Tottenham
Tottenham Hotspur's 3-1 win over Crystal Palace featured some considerable moments of quality. Naturally standing out among them were the goals, in particular Dele Alli's exquisitely orchestrated volley giving them the lead.
Accordingly for a London derby, there were ugly moments, too, chiefly the second-half incident when, being pulled back by Jan Vertonghen in the penalty area, Palace striker Connor Wickham proceeded to elbow the Tottenham defender.
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Neither were punished in the moment, but both have suffered consequences since (Wickham's of the disciplinary variety, above). Injured not from the blow but the subsequent fall, Vertonghen is facing a sizable layoff, one which is going to require his usual centre-back partner Toby Alderweireld to step up majorly in his absence.
Vertonghen has been integral in putting Tottenham in a position this season where their comeback victory at Selhurst Park mattered so much. The result kept the fourth-placed side in touch with those above and with daylight between those below.
After 23 games, Spurs remain the Premier League's meanest defence, conceding just 19 times and sharing the joint-best goal difference.
For a team that conceded 53 by the end of 2014-15, that is impressive, especially when you consider they have only let in more than one three times (they have been a little less stingy in cup competition).
Vertonghen has been far from alone in engineering this improvement.
Hugo Lloris has been as good as ever in goal, while his fellow Belgium international Alderweireld has proved a compatible foil in central defence. A latterly rotating squadron of full-backs has mostly ensured good protection from the flanks.
Eric Dier is arguably the division's best defensive midfielder this season. He has been joined by others like Dele Alli and Mousa Dembele in doing an impressively diligent job shutting opponents down before they reach the Belgian-led defence.
Prior to Christmas, head coach Mauricio Pochettino once again credited the team's overall work ethic.
"We work very hard all together, and now we are more solid from the first striker to the keeper," he said in his pre-Norwich City press conference. "Always it’s about the quality of the effort when you don’t have the ball."
Where Vertonghen has been vital is in setting the tone for all this; there were no guarantees he would do based on the past or even the start of this season.
His signing from Ajax in 2012 coincided with a period of post-Ledley King defensive upheaval at the club. The longtime captain's retirement created an inner debate over the credentials of specific personnel and identity that even the much-touted Vertonghen struggled to navigate (and early on, he often featured at left-back).
Much-needed stretches of continuity—primarily alongside Michael Dawson and for periods last season with Federico Fazio—allowed Spurs to settle somewhat and Vertonghen to really prove his worth as a Premier League-compatible defender. Particularly notable were his enviable reading of opposition intent and an ease in possession similarly useful in deflating a foe's momentum.
Exacerbated at the beginning of this season, however, were lingering doubts over more intangible, mental aspects of Vertonghen's game.
He and Alderweireld failed to address the presence of Mame Biram Diouf as Tottenham blew a two-goal lead at home to Stoke City. A week later, the 28-year-old too loosely acknowledged the threat of Leicester City winger Riyad Mahrez, and another advantage was lost.
Given what has followed, we can put those missteps down to early-season rustiness. Since August, Vertonghen has been just about impeccable marshalling a defence that has not looked so organised in years.
Now the club's senior centre-back in age and longevity, he has—consciously or not—taken ownership of the unit in a manner not previously seen. Neither Dawson's nor William Gallas' nor Younes Kaboul's anymore, this is his defence.
A happy balance with Alderweireld has been struck where the older defender is essentially the first responder, the one more immediately tasked with engaging an opponent in those common central areas.
The understanding has been born out by the numbers, according to WhoScored.com, with Vertonghen recording more tackles and interceptions and Alderweireld edging blocks and clearances.
| Tackles | Interceptions | Blocks | Clearances | |
| Jan Vertonghen | 1.7 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 6.2 |
| Toby Alderweireld | 1.1 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 7.7 |
Though there are inevitable exceptions (Vertonghen's opting to pass out rather than clear against Palace led to his conceding an own goal), Spurs are also maintaining shape under pressure a lot more, too.
The first-half resistance in the 4-1 thrashing of Manchester City in September was a particularly good example of the centre-backs' readiness. Attacked directly or covering for their full-backs, they stood their ground well against the Sergio Aguero-led front line.
With Vertonghen in the side, Spurs have been less likely to ship goals on set pieces, too. Two of the three times they did concede on them, they lost—another sign of Pochettino's team being much tougher to crack this year.
As the coach said last month, "Today, Tottenham is more solid than in the past."
But now they are facing being without a key contributor for a considerable time.
Team-mate Clinton Njie suffered his own medial collateral ligament problem in mid-December and is predicted by Premier Injuries to return in early March. As BBC Sport noted, Belgium and Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was sidelined for three months with the same problem.
Although Kevin Wimmer is the likely replacement on the left side of central defence, the burden of getting by without Vertonghen is going to rest in large part on Alderweireld.
As good as most aspects of his game have been, there are a couple of issues he will need to address if Spurs are to remain strong defensively.
Along with Dier, the former Southampton man has helped improve Tottenham's aerial capabilities. He brought in sound heading technique (see above) to be utilised at both ends of the pitch—his goals in the wins over Man City and West Ham United were both key momentum-builders.
However, in Vertonghen's absence, there have been suggestions of a leadership deficit that has resulted in worrying and/or costly organisational errors, particularly in the straight-up defensive evaluation of set pieces.
His ball-watching contributed to Marcin Wasilewski's getting the run on him to equalise for Leicester in the FA Cup. The previous time Alderweireld played without Vertonghen—against Monaco in the Europa League—Spurs also lacked concentration when marking.
The 26-year-old should not solely be blamed for the laxness, nor should he be cast as useless in lacking the settling presence of his compatriot.
Wimmer and others were caught tracking the ball and not their opponents in those games, too. In other areas against Monaco, Alderweireld led by example, winning his tackles and clearing his lines promptly.
Nevertheless, ensuring Spurs do not buckle as alarmingly as they did against Crystal Palace following Vertonghen's injury enforced withdrawal is going to be primarily on Alderweireld.
This does not mean Wimmer or anyone else can shirk their duties. It is a big opportunity for the Austrian summer signing to stake a claim for minutes thus far eluding him. If the left-sider does not settle quickly, Pochettino will not hesitate to switch things up, even if leaves the defence a little off-kilter balance-wise.
But as the senior defender and a proven international with ample experience around Europe, Alderweireld must now quickly take on greater responsibility shepherding the less prominent figures of the rejigged defence through the next weeks. Doing so does not have to go against his relatively laid-back style.
Vertonghen has shown that good leadership is far from being about screaming and shouting. He has not changed his style, nor particularly his attitude. He has sharpened his focus and bought in fully to what is asked of him.
If Tottenham are going to maintain their current position and good form, they are almost certainly going to need Alderweireld to do the same.
Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
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