Ryan Mason the Perfect Central Midfielder for Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham

In a season when Tottenham academy graduate Harry Kane has regularly grabbed headlines, the emergence of another local boy in Mauricio Pochettino's first team is also cause for excitement. 

Ryan Mason, who signed with Spurs as a 16-year-old, was much hyped by the most reputable of academy watchers. Chris Miller, or @WindyCOYS as you may know him, was one of the first to recognise his qualities.

He regularly praised Mason and argued that it was only a matter of time before an England debut. 

Five loan spells of varying success (four in the lower leagues and one with Lorient in France) would not have filled the casual Tottenham fan with confidence, but Mason has shown since his debut against Nottingham Forest in the League Cup that he is worthy of his place. 

Not only has he proven himself capable, Mason has excelled alongside Nabil Bentaleb as the pair have built the perfect dovetail central midfield partnership. 

Both share some characteristics. Mason and Bentaleb are each, by turns, aggressive tacklers and comfortable in possession.

Bentaleb is more proficient at retaining possession while Mason is more of a risk-taker. His ability to "go vertical" (move the ball quickly forward) gives Spurs a weapon that prevents opponents from pushing too high. 

While Bentaleb prefers to sit deeper and provide a release valve when Spurs are in possession, Mason's remarkable energy sees him constantly push forward. While he is yet to notch a Premier League goal, Mason's anticipation and ability to find space in dangerous areas has seen him regularly testing opposition keepers. A little more poise in those areas will make him real threat from midfield. Miller had these observations:

"

Ryan Mason isn't a perfect player but: most sprints & tackles, highest % of forward passes, furthest distance ran (via @EwanRoberts). Wow.

— Chris Miller (@WindyCOYS) February 6, 2015"

"

It's easy to see why Mason's one of the first names on the team sheet for Pochettino - carries out his orders like no other. Verticality.

— Chris Miller (@WindyCOYS) February 6, 2015"

At face value, Mason's pass completion rate suggests that he is Spurs' most wasteful midfielder. However, Mason is instructed to be aggressive in possession. He plays a different role to Bentaleb, and their divergent statistics reflect that. 

Bentaleb's role is to conserve possession, maintain control and find an eventual penetrating pass. Mason provides the quick out-ball. He gets possession to teammates in attacking positions quickly and has played a key role in the resurgence of Spurs as a counter-attacking team. 

Pochettino requires the contributions of both Bentaleb and Mason. The two bring complementary skills and create the perfect platform for Spurs' attacking players to perform. Etienne Capoue began the season as the preferred option in the middle. He was selected alongside Bentaleb in the opening two league games, but his inability to retain possession under pressure saw Mason take over the role. 

In the first north London derby of the season, Mason was surprisingly thrown into the starting lineup. Brutal tackles on Mesut Ozil and Jack Wilshere won him immediate admiration, but his fearlessness with the ball at his feet in the cauldron of that fixture was remarkable. A combination with Bentaleb, honed in the academy, was evident as Spurs sprang counter-attacks and threatened to win the match.

Jordan Henderson, Fabian Delph and Michael Carrick average three possessions won this season. Mason has done so four times per game. (per Squawka.com)

Before the 3-2 defeat at Anfield, Brendan Rodgers singled out Mason for praise, saying per ESPN FC that "[he] has been outstanding in the middle of the field. He's a good passer of the ball, a good mover, a very good technical player."

Against Liverpool, both Mason and Bentaleb took far too long to adjust to the pace of the pitch and were guilty of costly errors in possession. The duo remain a work in progress but, with fewer than 50 Premier League appearances combined, time is on their side.

A brief injury-enforced absence in early January coincided with two of Spurs' poorest recent performances. In those matches, a draw against Burnley in the FA Cup and Premier League defeat at the hands of Leicester City, Spurs were crying out for Mason's unique mix of aggression and grace. 

During Spurs' North American pre-season tour, Mason was impressive. Injury cost him an immediate chance to show his qualities in the Premier League but once his opportunity came, he has made the most of it.

Almost singularly in Tottenham's current lineup, Mason is largely without flair. He has the tenacity of Wilson Palacios at his best while having the ability to use the ball once he gets it. When Sandro was briefly Spurs' best player, he played a similar role to that which Mason now plays for Pochettino's team.  

When Pochettino arrived from Southampton, he was probably desperate to sign one of his former players above all others. Morgan Schneiderlin, fresh from a World Cup campaign with France, was identified as the keystone of the midfield that Pochettino would build at his new club. 

That signing proved impossible, so the new Spurs boss was forced to look elsewhere. Mason has emerged to perform in Schneiderlin's place.

Some have called for Mason to be given an England call-up. It is easy to see why. He faultlessly carries out the dual role of a modern defensive midfielder, giving his team both an additional attacking weapon as well as a bodyguard, and is never afraid to receive the ball. 

The astonishing rise of Harry Kane has largely obscured Ryan Mason's emergence. He has received some praise, but his contribution is difficult to appreciate if, like most football fans, you don't watch all of Spurs' games. When he is omitted from the lineup, his absence is sharply felt with replacements like Paulinho largely incapable of balancing his dual role. 

Mason has the potential to establish himself as a key member of Spurs' first team for many years. Unlike predecessors in Tottenham's midfield like Palacios, Sandro or even Jermaine Jenas, Mason is not lacking in any obvious ways. He is a well-rounded central midfielder with tenacity, drive and, as a local boy, a real appreciation for the club. His tactical intelligence and remarkable fitness levels have helped to bed in Pochettino's approach. 

Kane's 23 goals have, reasonably, sucked much of the attention of the press and even the fans, but Mason's remarkable rise is no less significant for Tottenham.