Tottenham is Christian Eriksen’s Team

It’s difficult to believe that the pairing of Mauricio Pochettino and Christian Eriksen is mostly an accident. The Danish international already had a season with Tottenham under his belt by the time Pochettino arrived last summer. He had arrived the summer before as part of the spending spree following Gareth Bale’s sale. Only 21-years-old, he’d go on to impress immediately, scoring seven goals and setting up eight others as Tottenham transitioned from André Villas-Boas’ reign into Tim Sherwood’s.

Pochettino arrived in the summer after that first season. Coincidence or not, it was clear from the start that Eriksen was going to fit well in Pochettino’s scheme. He didn’t play exactly the same game he had just the season before. Pochettino asked him to play in a more direct style, one more in line with how the Argentine manager had Adam Lallana play the season before for Southampton. He was more attacker than creator.

Gone were the wild crosses or passes from deep onto the head of Emmanuel Adebayor. Instead, he worked more closely with the striker, and struck up a particularly good chemistry with Harry Kane. That connection was less about direct linkup play – Eriksen only notched two assists in Pochettino’s first term at Tottenham – and more about space. The two players’ movement and positioning were such that they opened up defenses for the other to exploit. When their qualities weren’t complementary, they were utilized well in conjunction. One needs to only look as far back as the 5-1 victory against Bournemouth a week and half ago to see how the pair can overload the left flank and build chances from there.

What takes Eriksen’s game to the next level is something beyond goals and linkup play, however. The Dane regularly accumulates among the most miles of any player on the pitch in any given game. He is a tireless, efficient dynamo at the base of Tottenham’s attacking engine.

Remember that old cartoon where Daffy Duck is trying to plug as many leaks as possible in a dam that’s about to burst? He’s sticking fingers and toes wherever he can to prevent the water from breaking through and washing him away. In that analogy, Eriksen is the leaks. He is relentlessly latching onto the end of balls or distributing passes to his fellow attackers that test every weak point in the opposition’s dam. They can plug holes here and there, but at some point the leaks will be too many and too strong.

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Beyond the free kicks and last minute goals, that ability to relentless test defenses is the true value Eriksen brings to the table. When he was out for the games against determined teams like Leicester City and Everton, Tottenham’s lack of penetration was palpable. They couldn’t get balls forward from central midfield and, when they did, they seemed one-dimensional.

All of which is said in order to make a simple point: this Tottenham team is justifiably built around Christian Eriksen. His role at the center of the team can be subtle. This isn’t Lionel Messi and Barcelona, and neither Pochettino nor the player himself might ever acknowledge it. Nevertheless, the truth is there for all to see. He orchestrates the attack, makes it lethal and will only get better as he matures.

Next: How Will Tottenham Line Up Against Anderlecht?

There might be other options waiting in the wings – Alex Pritchard’s injury delays his challenge for Eriksen’s throne by a few months – but there’s little doubt that Eriksen will increasingly become the most vital component of this Tottenham side for years to come.