Making a Case for Andros Townsend at Tottenham Hotspur

Andros Townsend is a young, exciting, local talent who recently scored a sensational goal on his England debut. He followed that up with a similarly impressive strike against San Marino on his return to international duty after a long injury layoff. 

Townsend should be a fan favourite and an important part of Mauricio Pochettino's plans at Spurs. On his way to the Tottenham first team, Townsend completed loan spells with nine different clubs.

He first grabbed the attention of Spurs fans with his man-of-the-match performance against Charlton in a 3-0 FA Cup 3rd Round win in 2011. 

That performance earned comparisons with Gareth Bale, who had broken into the team with a starring role against Peterborough at the same stage of the competition in 2010. 

It is comparisons with Bale that have hurt Townsend's reputation among fans. He is not the same player and likely never will be. Bale transformed himself both physically and mentally between 2010 and 2013 and emerged as a truly world class player. It is harsh to suggest that Townsend is not good enough because he can't reach those standards. 

Townsend lost the faith of the Twitterati when, against Liverpool, he lost the ball to Alberto Moreno in a poorly considered take-on. Moreno was then able to run unmolested from halfway and scored a fabulous goal, which Townsend was judged solely responsible for. 

"

That run & finish by Moreno yesterday was incredible. Too much pace even for Townsend who just gave up... http://t.co/omWnmM7UBi

— MostarLFC (@MostarLFC) September 1, 2014"

It was poor by Townsend, but he was also let down by his teammates. 

"

Townsend poor today (and in midweek) but to blame him entirely for 3rd goal is just scapegoating. Moreno ran 60 yards and nobody stopped him

— James Maw (@JamesMawFFT) August 31, 2014"

Townsend has many flaws as a player—his tendency to shoot from unlikely angles is chief among them—but he has does possess substantial shooting power, and his quick feet allow him to open angles from which he can hit the target.  

According to HITC Sport, Townsend is the leading Premier League player when it comes to shooting from distance. Both of his England goals have come this way, and he hit the target with more of his long-range shots last season than Wayne Rooney, Yaya Toure and Luis Suarez did. 

As observed in the Evening Standard, when Townsend was came on against San Marino, he gave England "the presence they were missing out wide."

This is where the argument for Townsend begins to gain traction.  

His talent is undeniable. 

Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

England manager Roy Hodgson describes Townsend's qualities as "enormous pace, that ability to strike the ball." 

More than that, Townsend's impact for England shows he can change a game. While Aaron Lennon has generally been Pochettino's substitute of choice when attempting to close a game down, Townsend was the man selected when Spurs were trailing against Liverpool. That didn't work out as planned, but the fact remains that Townsend is the ideal substitution to make when trying to force a change in a match. 

Townsend is as capable of driving down the wing as he is cutting inside onto his left foot. This dual threat means that teams cannot compress defensively. His bustling, energetic approach, paired with his genuine pace, also make it hard for teams to maintain possession. He chases, harries and pushes opposition players into making mistakes. 

Equally, if Spurs are under pressure, Townsend provides an outlet. His pace and ability to shoot make Tottenham a more dangerous threat even if the opposition holds the majority of possession. 

The fact that Townsend has barely been trusted by Mauricio Pochettino in the Premier League is surprising. Townsend showed against San Marino and has also demonstrated in the past that he is adept at pressing to win back possession. He is a high-energy player who can play on both flanks and cross with both feet. 

He seems to be the kind of player who would flourish in a Pochettino system. It is unfortunate for him that Erik Lamela is also a left-footed attacking player who prefers playing on the right. Townsend is unlikely to displace the Argentine, whose displays are only mildly encouraging. 

Townsend is certainly good enough to play Premier League football for Tottenham. His pace and control make him a scoring threat, and his energy makes him well suited to Spurs' high-tempo game.

Pochettino will certainly give the England man opportunities to show his qualities in the Premier League, but it is unlikely he will shift away from Lamela and Nacer Chadli. Spurs' current first-choice wide players are performing far better than they did last season.  

He may have to bide his time, but when it comes, he will take it.