The options for Tottenham in midfield this season are quite heavy. The likes of Moussa Sissoko, Tanguy Ndombele, Giovani Lo Celso, Eric Dier, Victor Wanyama, Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen and Oliver Skipp are the players who Mauricio Pochettino has to call upon, although one who has to be involved as much as possible is Harry Winks.
The young English midfielder was again called upon by Gareth Southgate in Monday night after being an unused substitute against Friday night, making what was just his 4th appearance as senior England international, and it was on Monday that he showed why he deserves to be in the starting eleven for his country.
Winks, to put it very simply, is an incredible player and one of the best in the Premier League at what he does. The 23-year-old may not be the man that fans want him to be in the final third, but when it comes to setting the tempo and playing as the metronome, Winks is top class, winning the ball back and using it quickly to great effect.
Sky Sports dished out their player ratings after England ripped Bulgaria to pieces, winning 6-0, and it was the incredible Winks who managed an impressive 8/10 rating, with the outlet saying:
‘Brought into the team for this game, Winks made a real difference right from the start when he won back possession in the first few seconds. His distribution was reliable and, perhaps just as importantly, it was quick, giving England some tempo to their play. A positive for Gareth Southgate.’
It’s hard to argue with any of that, either, and given how impressive Winks was on the night, it must be said that he’s risen to become one of Tottenham’s most important players this season. In midfield, he is simply incredible and given Spurs’ slow start to the season, he’s going to be called upon to halt the decline.
Watford at home is the next game that Winks and Spurs face and after a top display for his country, it’s now time that the 23-year-old England man is realised as one of the most important players amongst the Lilywhites, which should happen naturally if he keeps going the way he did on Monday.