Following a successful loan spell with Norwich City in the Championship last season, Oliver Skipp has been an ever-present in the Tottenham midfield this term.
Nuno Espirito Santo dropped him for the disastrous defeat at Arsenal in September, but the England Under-21 international came on at half-time and has barely missed a minute of Premier League football since.
However, that will change this weekend. Skipp is suspended for Sunday’s meeting with Leeds United, so Antonio Conte will have to find an alternative.
And in his press conference on Friday, the Spurs manager named the two players who are currently battling to replace Skipp in the starting line-up.
“In this moment I have to proceed because Skippy he can’t play, he was banned for one game,” said Conte (via Football London).
“In the previous games we played with Skippy and Hojbjerg. Also we have to see, I hope today to have Hojbjerg with the team, because he also was injured in the last week and didn’t work. Then there is one between Winks and Tanguy Ndombele. (Laughs) Not many choices but we have to go.”
Ndombele would probably be the preferred option of many supporters, with the ability he has demonstrated when given the opportunity this season – but Winks shouldn’t be totally dismissed.
The 25-year-old came off the bench and played well in Conte’s first match against Vitesse and could experience a new lease of life under the Italian.
That said, it would be great to see Ndombele given a proper run in the team under a top coach.
The change would be to bring in Winks and Tanguy to replace Moura. Tanguy is not use as a holding mid and we need some creativity up front. The problem with not going to Tanguy instead of Moura is when Skipp comes back next game we still will need a #10. Tanguy would have gotten a good so Winks back to the bench for Skipp. Dele, Gio, Lucas, Gil and Moura should give us enough offensive options off the bench or in Gio case come into move the ball and break the press.