Tottenham: Making a Case to Keep Ryan Mason

Two injuries and the form of Tottenham’s other midfielders made it hard for Ryan Mason to return into the starting lineup. However, there’s a good possibility that he sticks around even as a rotational/super sub-type of player.

No matter which side of the fence that fans stand on when it relates to Ryan Mason’s place on Mauricio Pochettino’s squad, there’s two qualities that everyone should surely agree on. And that’s the 25-year-old’s passion and his willingness to get the ball forward.

Although Mousa Dembélé is much more talented and also helps push his teammates forward with his passes, Mason is more daring than the Belgian international.

If Dembélé is mostly known for his uncanny ability to absorb incoming challenges and bounce off of them, while still maintaining possession of the ball, then Ryan Mason can compliment that by going vertical.

Vertical, as in, receiving the ball from the back line and quickly turning around and looking upfield to see who is pushing forward.

This style runs counter to some of Mauricio Pochettino’s philosophy in maintaining possession of the ball and being decisive and picking out the next move. But at times, Tottenham seemed to pass amongst themselves too much — especially when they couldn’t unlock a team’s defense.

The video below is just one example of Ryan Mason getting the ball vertical.

While this match against Sunderland on September 13th of last year focuses solely on Ryan Mason and what he does with the ball. It shows that when Pochettino wants his players to push forward, Mason is willing to oblige immediately.

At the 4:03 mark, Mason has already started the game-winning possession which saw him score the only goal of the match.

It starts off with a pass to Érik Lamela, before the Argentine winger gave it back on a give-and-go. From there, Mason would continue running forward and pass to Harry Kane who laid the ball back to Lamela before he played a perfectly weighted ball to a now unmarked Mason streaking into the penalty area.

More from Hotspur HQ

While this is certainly cherry-picking an instance in which Ryan Mason’s exploits were shown in a positive light, this kind of display is something that not many players on this Tottenham squad do well or are confident of doing in the first place.

Keeping a player for the sole purpose of becoming a super sub isn’t unheard of. It seems like a waste as you can only keep seven players on the substitutes’ bench, but at times Nacer Chadli has essentially been a super sub — minus scoring goals on a regular basis.

The Belgian’s style of play is direct, like Ryan Mason’s, though where they differ is how Chadli has this tendency to cut inside a bit early as soon as he reaches the outside of the penalty box.

Still, having a player or two with these kinds of mindsets can see Mason stick around on this team, even as a rotational player. He won’t be given regular minutes like a starter would, but at the very least he might not be sold by his boyhood club.

Mauricio Pochettino at times wants his players to attack the opposition’s defense, especially when Tottenham are already winning and need to kill the game off. Ryan Mason, even as a deep-lying central midfielder, could help out which would be critical to have late in games when teams are pushing for a goal and are susceptible to a counterattack.

Next: Tottenham Player Preview: Toby Alderweireld

It could be considered a gamble to keep Ryan Mason as Mousa Dembélé’s backup and not sign someone if there is one available who is better than the 25-year-old.

But when you combine a player’s aggressive style of play, where he tends to attack defenses head-on rather than simply passing left and right, plus the fact that he is desperate to remain on the team and will do anything, good things should happen.

Tottenham have shown they can press their opponents into submission and win the ball back. Now it’s time to finish off those counterattacks with a goal. Ryan Mason and Nacer Chadli can be those rotational players who get vertical.

Home/Tottenham News