Picking an Elite Tottenham Hotspur 5-a-Side Team from Current Squad
Tottenham Hotspur played so well in their 4-0 win over Stoke City on Monday it felt like they could have played with half their starting XI and still won.
That is not intended as a slight on the Potters—more a testament to the irresistible blend of synchronicity and improvisation that left them chasing Tottenham's shadows.
So what if Spurs fielded an elite five-a-side team from their squad? Perhaps for something akin to the Evening Standard London Five-a-Side tournaments of yesteryear.
The following article attempts to pick such a group. Hopefully it is one that also gives an insight into the different qualities informing Spurs' Premier League title chase.
It is no simple task given the calibre of players in their ranks. Arguments could be made for several of those not included in this team.
But those selected make up a balanced unit that would fare well in any small-side competition. Less Renford Rejects, more the top-quality outfit their Premier League and international pedigree would suggest.
Hugo Lloris
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The first name on the teamsheet in Mauricio Pochettino’s usual starting XI is also the first in our Tottenham five.
Club captain Hugo Lloris' goalkeeping talents would translate well to the smaller-side game.
The France international is one of world football's most outstanding shot-stoppers, a last line of defence who has been a reliable presence in Spurs' title challenge. In a game such as five-a-side, in which the turnarounds in possession can be rapid, a good goalkeeper can be the difference-maker.
Depending on the rules of competition, Lloris may be bound to his area, negating his ability to sweep up.
The opposition's possible inability to encroach on this space would allow him to pick out team-mates less hurriedly, however. That would allow him to shape play as he is capable of without having to clear his lines under pressure (hopefully avoiding some of the rushed, iffy distribution that has been an unsurprising consequence of Spurs' desire to play out from the back).
Jan Vertonghen
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Despite five-a-side's more attacking nature, giving the goalkeeper some semblance of protection is still important.
The mobile, generally alert Jan Vertonghen is as good an option as any for patrolling the back in this mini Tottenham team.
The Belgian ranks among the club's best blockers, stopping an average of 0.7 attempts a game, per WhoScored.com. Willingness to get in the way of shots is a must in an environment less conducive to stopping opponents with numbers and strategy.
Vertonghen's good positional judgement extends to choosing when to pick his forays forward. His comfort in possession and decent turn of pace make him a good collaborator for the more attacking players in this team.
You may be thinking Vertonghen's centre-back partner and PFA Team of the Year selection Toby Alderweireld fits the bill here too.
Giving Vertonghen the edge, however, is his greater pass-success percentage (87.1 to 80.2 in the Premier League). He is slightly better at connecting with team-mates over shorter distances, which is a quality more appropriate for the closer combinations required going forward on a small five-a-side pitch than Alderweireld's trademark long-distance passes.
Danny Rose
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Danny Rose may be one of the more surprising selections in this team.
There are more skilful players in Tottenham's squad—performers whose greater flair would seemingly make them more obvious choices for a showcase such as a high-level five-a-side tournament.
Rose is not too shabby when it comes to taking players on and participating in quick passing exchanges. But it is how the full-back could use this tactically that warrants his inclusion.
Just like in Pochettino's full team, the speedy and determined Rose would provide a vital outlet.
His attacks down or inside from the flank would allow this team to transition from defence to attack quickly. Even if he were not utilised here, the distracting runs could still create space for others.
Defensively, Rose would provide assistance for Vertonghen too. In this regard, you could make a case for Kyle Walker (the right-back may provide slightly better balance with the left-sided Belgian too). But his fellow full-back's greater confidence in attack gives Rose the nod.
Dele Alli
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It did not take Dele Alli long to prove he was good enough to play alongside and compete against football's biggest names. Since the then-teenager fearlessly took on Real Madrid's Toni Kroos and Luka Modric in last summer's Audi Cup friendly, he has gone from strength to strength.
The Milton Keynes Dons youth-team product scored a stunning goal for England at Wembley against club-mate Lloris and his France team in November. He has caught the eye against some of Europe's best and consistently invigorated many of Tottenham's best performances in their title push.
Alli is a swashbuckling yet thoroughly reliable performer. He's a scorer and creator who can also tackle and is tactically disciplined.
His all-round style would translate anywhere.
Alli is a must for this Tottenham five-a-side team. If anything, he would shine even more with the larger in-game responsibility on his shoulders.
Harry Kane
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So this team is solid at the back and full of energy and attacking threat going forward.
It still needs someone whose main priority to finish off all the good work. There is no better man for the job than Harry Kane.
Tottenham's top scorer would have to adjust to shooting at a smaller goal. You suspect the lethal and versatile marksman—27 goals and counting in 2015-16—should have no trouble finding his range, though.
Happy to drop back and get involved in build-up play, Kane would also help facilitate the positional rotations that are vital to creating the fluidity that avoids predictability.
Like the Spurs team proper, the 22-year-old's combinations with Alli in particular would cause all manner of havoc for opponents.
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