Overshadowed by Son Heung-min and James Maddison, Dejan Kuluczewski has been quietly doing his part.
Tottenham Hotspur have surprised a lot of people this season. Few could have predicted their performance prior to the start of the season. A top-four finish in the league was even considered a ‘success’. However, their current position is first in the league. They have many title favorites below them, including Arsenal, Manchester City, and Liverpool.
There are many people to thank for this. First and foremost, coach Enze Postecoglou. Postecoglou, who won the Domestic Treble with Celtic, took over the reins at Tottenham this season, promising to play ‘attacking football’ and change the colors of the club. Of course, Spurs fans weren’t expecting much. They questioned Postecoglou’s ‘lack of big league experience’ and assumed he would naturally switch to defensive football once he realized the high walls of the Premier League (PL). Just as Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho had done in the past.
But this was completely wrong. Postecoglou continues to play attacking soccer. Even against the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal, and Manchester United, he hasn’t backed down, and the fact that he’s still managed to get results only adds to his reputation. Eighteen points in eight games. He’s also been praised for his ability to stabilize the defense in the face of overwhelming firepower.
The players also played a big role. New signing Guglielmo Vicario has been a perfect replacement for Hugo Llorez, becoming known locally as ‘Light’ Vicario for his saves in every game. Mickey van der Vaan has also formed one of the best defenses in the league with Christian Romero. ‘Freshman’ James Maddison has established himself as an indispensable player for Tottenham, while Pedro Foro, Yves Bissouma, and Pape Matasar have stepped up their game. ‘Captain’ Son Heung-min has transformed into a top and is leading Spurs with his goal-scoring prowess at its peak.
The spotlight is divided. There are some players who haven’t gotten as much attention. Kuluczewski is one of them. Kuluczewski has been starting every game this season alongside Son Heung-min and Maddison. Two goals in eight league games. He doesn’t have a lot of attacking points, but his work rate and positivity make him an important part of Postecoglou’s tactics. 먹튀검증
It would be unfair to say that he contributes little. According to soccer statistics outlet Opta, Kuluszewski has the fourth best ‘expected assist’ value in the league in open play situations this season. Mohamed Salah (4.2) is first, followed by Peris Estupinjan (2.8), Moussa Diaby (2.6), and Kulusebski (2.3). United’s ‘ace’ Bruno Fernandez is lower than Kuluczewski at 2.1.
He also attempts a lot of passes into the box. According to FBREF, which compiles PL stats, Kulusebski has attempted a whopping 51 passes within 10 meters of the goal this season, which is the most in the league.