Tottenham can rightly think of themselves as one of the most exciting attacking outfits in the Premier League. While their forward play might not have quite matched that of Manchester City or Liverpool this season, it’s also been a considerable margin better than what Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal have offered up throughout 2017/18.
An important part of any attack is inevitably ability with the ball at feet – the quality and speed to create chaos by jinking past opposition defenders and accordingly taking them out of the game. Spurs have often been criticised for lacking that kind of player, especially in central areas, and they rather tellingly rank a somewhat unspectacular eighth for dribbles per game in the Premier League this term.
But which of the north London club’s stars are providing that incisiveness to ghost past players? Who are the top dribblers at Tottenham Hotspur? Here’s a rundown of their top five dribblers in the Premier League this season, which certainly includes a couple of surprise names…
A surprise inclusion at number five, centre-back Jan Vertonghen isn’t someone you’d usually associate with taking on the opposition with the ball at feet.
But the Belgian centre-half always protects the ball well and is a crucial influence in Tottenham’s ability to build attacks from the back – finding space to distribute the ball by side-stepping onrushing attackers is clearly an important part of that.
The other key factor here is the sheer number of games the 98-cap defender has played. He actually averages under one dribble per game, but has missed just one Premier League outing for the Lilywhites this season.
Dele Alli’s come under plenty of stick this season and there have certainly been times when he’s failed to rekindle the level of form we’ve seen in previous campaigns.
But in terms of successful dribbles, few Tottenham players have bettered his total of 32 in the Premier League this season, averaging more than one per match.
That still may not seem a hugely inspiring total, but dribbles aren’t the be-all-and-end-all of Alli’s game. The England international – who Transfermarkt value at £72million – has always lacked the pace to ghost past people. He’s at his best when he’s attacking the space created by others.
It’s arguably the aspect of Harry Kane’s game that has shown the biggest improvement so far this season – the sudden ability to drive at defences with the ball.
Indeed, Kane already has so much in his locker already but he’ll know dribbling ability will one of the most important skills to master if he’s to move into the same bracket as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the coming years.
Kane’s completed 43 dribbles in the Premier League this season, which works out at roughly 1.3 per game. His Champions League outings though, saw that number rise to a formidable 2.9 each match.
A defining feature of the impeccable platform he provides in midfield, it’s no surprise to see Mousa Dembele rank so highly for dribbles within the Tottenham squad, completing 47 in just 23 Premier League outings this term.
Protecting the ball is arguably the Belgian’s greatest asset, and his ability to do so while jinking past defenders has lead to countless Spurs attacks throughout 2017/18.
And when combined with his capacity to win the ball back while distributing it with the utmost efficiency, many Tottenham fans would argue Dembele is amongst the best central midfielders in the world right now.
It’s been an incredible season for Heung-min Son, netting twelve times in 22 Premier League starts, and dribbling is just another field where the South Korean international has impressively excelled.
Indeed, no Tottenham player has been able to match his 53 dribbles this season and that penetrative pace he offers Spurs from the left has been a defining feature of their attacking play throughout 2017/18.
It’s just one of the many reasons pundits are now viewing Son as one of the most underrated attackers in the Premier League.
