Positive takeaways from first Tottenham Hotspur start for Dejan Kulusevski

After two substitute appearances following his arrival from Juventus, Dejan Kulusevski‘s first Tottenham Hotspur start was memorable and promised more to come.

On the back of two tough-to-swallow losses in his first Tottenham Hotspur minutes, some fans were already souring on Swedish attacker Dejan Kulusevski. Fortunately, Antonio Conte is making decisions for Spurs, and his faith in giving Kulusevski his first Tottenham start was well rewarded.

While most, including Decky himself, will remember the goal and assist, Kulusevski showed a lot of things that promise a bright future for the young man, the latest epic Spurs win over Manchester City.

A Tottenham player built for the Premier League

When you look at the three Tottenham players who went out on loan in January, there are questions about all three regarding their suitability for the Premier League. Giovani Lo Celso and Tanguy Ndombele lack the motor needed to excel in the league long-term. Likewise, Bryan Gil is not currently a fit for the league, given his stature.

After his full Premier League bow, there should be no questions about Kulusevski’s suitability for the league. Kulusevski was one of several Spurs players who was on his horse from the first whistle until the last. Kulusevski played as much as a second wing-back as he did as a wing and never stopped pushing either way.

Beyond his running, Kulusevski showed an ability to use his large frame to fend off defenders and hold the ball in possession even against the tight City defence. The strength and size to play physical football will benefit Kulusevski and Spurs immensely moving forward.

Kulusevski has a high football IQ

Many talented athletes are held back by a lack of sporting IQ, which does not seem to be a problem for Kulusevski, who has a great understanding of the game. Several times during the match, Kulusevski was able to pick out the right pass or play the right layoff to help relieve pressure and maintain possession.

There was also an instance where Decky was able to fake like he would go for a ball and then use his body to hold off the defender and run him into space so that Emerson Royal could come onto the ball. Understanding how to make space for others shows football intelligence beyond his years.

Perhaps the most impressive moment of understanding from Kulusevski was on his goal. He recognized the play and started running hard from Spurs’ half to get into position for the opening goal. However, Kulusevski’s run was not a blind dash forward on train tracks.

Kulusevski watched Heung-min Son with the ball, and when the South Korean started to cut inside, Dejan hit the breaks and re-positioned his body before receiving the pass. It may seem small, but the recognition and ability to adapt to the situation creates an easy slot finish and his first Spurs goal.

Spurs new guy has the end product

We had seen little glimpses of his passing ability in his previous minutes for Spurs. However, Kulusevski showed he has that touch of class against City.

The intelligence and understanding put him in a position to score, then Decky showed the calmness needed to hit the net when the chance presented itself. We have seen enough players running in blast over in that situation to know no finish is easy, but Kulusevski made it look that way.

Kulusevski showed he could do more than score a goal and assisted Kane on the game-winner. He had nearly helped Kane score a few minutes earlier, showing how dangerous he can be cutting in from the right onto his left foot.

On the decisive play of the match, Kulusevski was chasing the ball and keeping it from going out for a goal kick, easily beating the City defender. Then Kulusevski cut back into play to create an angle and waited for Matt Doherty to run by before playing a perfect cross for Harry Kane at the back post.

Ultimately, it is only one match of what one hopes is a long and productive career for Kulusevski. He certainly has a chance based on what he showed against Manchester City in Spurs’ big win.