Why Ryan Mason Is the Tottenham Player Most in Need of the International Break

Just about a year ago, Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Ryan Mason was embarking on his first England senior squad experience.

In the midst of a breakthrough season with the north London club, he was called up to replace the injured Adam Lallana in games against Lithuania and Italy.

Appearing as a substitute in the latter friendly, he marked his international debut with an assist for then-Tottenham team-mate Andros Townsend's long-range equaliser:

The 24-year-old is not part of the again-significant Spurs presence in Roy Hodgson's latest group—five Lilywhites, per the Football Association's announcement last week. For him, the current international break is about getting back to a point where he could become in contention once more.

Something, of course, that is very much entwined with his club form.

After a solid start to 2015-16 for Mason was derailed by injury, he returned for a spell in late autumn only to be again forced to the sidelines. According to him, head coach Mauricio Pochettino was cautious not to rush him back.

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"I’ve been training for about a month now and he took his time with me because last time, I came back and picked up niggling injuries and we didn’t want that to happen again," he told Tottenham's official website in late February.

Since returning, the up-and-down nature of his campaign has continued to an extent.

A goal and generally assertive showing in the home win over Fiorentina (he also wore the captain's armband in the away leg) has been augmented by solid contributory work in Spurs' ongoing Premier League title challenge.

Among the more frustrating days were unsuccessful starts in losses to West Ham United and Borussia Dortmund.

The man essentially taking the place a fit Mason may have competed for in the England squad is the same player whose absence he was not able to compensate for in the aforementioned two games.

Dele Alli's emergence since his summer arrival in N17 has changed the midfield landscape Mason and others are now adapting to. His blend of skill, energy and killer instincts is rightly exciting fans and staff of both club and national sides.

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There is scope for incorporating the versatile academy man with the teenager in a Spurs starting lineup.

But up until now, he has not been able to completely convince that he should be a permanent (or as close to) accompaniment ahead of a Mousa Dembele or Eric Dier—their greater defensive steel and discipline are stabler counterpoints to Alli than Mason's more tenacious but looser style.

Mason's value to the overall Tottenham first-team picture is not up for debate.

"It wasn’t easy for Ryan in the first part of the season because of injury, but he’s back and we need him. He’s important for the team," captain Hugo Lloris told Spurs' website post-Fiorentina. "He’s an example with the right mentality and the right profile."

One of the young group who have revitalised Spurs under Pochettino's tutelage, Mason is continuing to apply himself in the right way.

He's buying into the grand aims of the team and contributing however he can (see his pleased reaction after helping Spurs to Sunday's win over Bournemouth below). This despite the disappointment of last season's regular role giving way via injuries and others' form to back-up duty .

As one of the few first-teamers not called up to international duty this week, Mason will be left as one of the more experienced hands training alongside the youngsters Pochettino intends to pay some closer attention to.

"It's true that we have nearly all [our] squad out, but we have a lot of young players that need to develop their game and improve," the Argentinian said after Sunday's win against Bournemouth.

From there, Spurs get back to work on a title push that is now their sole target following their European exit.

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"We have time to prepare the game in a different way, to train, to improve, to do a lot of things that was impossible before," Pochettino also said on Sunday. "I think that we are in a moment that we need to see our future in a very good way because I think it's important to keep working hard and fight in every game."

In this current fortnight, Mason can set a good tone for this vital run-in. Both for himself and the team.

He may not be about to displace Alli or Dembele, but in this first break after a long winter, he can get first dibs on showing his boss why he should.

He can help keep the level of this intense and aggressive team's performance and motivation high and ensure that his team-mates are at their very best if they want to stay ahead of him.

After an oft-frustrating season, it his opportunity to gear up for a strong finish—one that, while maybe not ultimately getting Mason back in the England squad just yet, will perhaps improve his chances of doing so in the future.

Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

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