This season, the Spurs midfielder has contributed four Premier League goals.
Tottenham Hotspur failed to build on their 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday, and the team has become slightly inconsistent in recent weeks.
Newcastle United dealt the Lilywhites their latest blow, a 4-0 defeat that was both disheartening and aggravating.
Ange Postecoglou‘s team as a whole has begun to lose rhythm, notably in the midfield, as evidenced by the manager’s frequent midfield changes over the last two games.
That being said, James Maddison has remained in the team, but is it time for the number ten to be dropped as well?
James Maddison’s latest performances
Maddison‘s £40 million move from Leicester City to Tottenham has been seen as fantastic business all season, and deservedly so, but he has not been his normal self in recent weeks.
The England international has now gone five games without scoring a goal, and Spurs‘ free-flowing assault has appeared rather dull of late.
This was once again the case against the Magpies, as The Evening Standard gave Maddison a poor 4/10 rating for his effort, adding:
“Wants to be held to high standards, thus must accept some of the blame for Spurs’ ineffective attack. Poor decision-making, especially long-range shots that resulted in wasted possession.”
Fortunately, if Postecoglou decides Maddison needs to be rested or dropped, he has the ideal option ready on the bench.
Tottenham’s wildcard is ready to shine.
There’s no denying that the midfield hasn’t performed to the levels that the manager would have preferred and required, but he’s also not reluctant to express his dissatisfaction.
Postecoglou replaced both Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr at halftime against Forest, and he did the same against Eddie Howe‘s side, but just before the hour mark.
It wouldn’t be surprising if he switched to a 4-3-3 formation in the coming weeks, which is where Giovani Lo Celso comes in.
The Argentine midfielder has only started four Premier League games this season, primarily when Maddison is unavailable, but he has dazzled when on the field, scoring two goals and assisting twice.
As evidenced by his most recent Premier League start against Bournemouth, Lo Celso possesses lots of inventiveness, not quite as much as Maddison, but enough to pose a threat to the opponent, as demonstrated by his two assists.
What’s most impressive is his ability to keep the ball and control the game for his team; the former Paris Saint-Germain star even had a perfect pass accuracy when he began against Manchester City earlier this season.
Furthermore, Lo Celso would make the midfield more difficult to beat as an opponent since he can read the game easily, press with vigour, and win individual skirmishes.
The fact that he won four tackles, was not dribbled past once, and won an astonishing 11 duels demonstrates that he simply works hard defensively, which is what makes him such a “unbelievable” player, according to journalist Alex Mitton.
However, there is one concern that remains: Is Postecoglou willing to give Lo Celso a chance over Madison?
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