Richarlison is painstaking to watch. He's one of those players who is so easy to call bad, but for some reason, he manages to have a chokehold on the team week in, week out.
And moments like the weekend, where he netted in injury time, make his case even stronger. He is important to Tottenham, whether fans like it or lump it.
Despite the countless eye rolls in the stadium or at television screens worldwide whenever Richarlison loses the ball, his qualities are doing something to Thomas Frank. And it is for that reason, unbeknownst to any casual fan, that his importance grows in this Tottenham team.
With Randal Kolo Muani and Dominic Solanke both out injured for Tottenham, Richarlison is about to increase in importance.
Don't all sigh at once.
Thomas Frank is forced into playing a less-than-ideal offense, and Richarlison is a beneficiary of that. It's hard to say that he did much to jeopardize his position at the weekend, and even if he did, scoring that goal in stoppage time would have made anyone quick to forget about that.
Tottenham cannot even afford to bench their most frustrating player
According to a statistic pointed out by a Tottenham fan, Richarlison is fifth in the Premier League for xG+A (expected goals and assists) per 90 minutes (0.85). The only players above him are Danny Welbeck (0.86), Antoine Semenyo (0.90), Emi Buendía (1.00) and, of course, Erling Haaland (1.47).
So, as frustrating as he is, Richarlison is Tottenham's biggest catalyst in the front line. He makes things happen, even if he and/or his teammates can sometimes lack end product.
Richarlison is exactly that kind of player, so this stat doesn't come as a surprise at all. Some players don't pass the eye test in the slightest, but they are the same players who are loved by data consumers and stat lovers. Richy is, unfortunately, one of those players.
Truth be told, if Tottenham is to make anything happen in the final third, there's a high likelihood that it's because of Richarlison. Which is, as everybody knows, a frankly terrifying thought.
For Tottenham to rely on a player who has fans questioning if they even like this sport is... Yeah, not great.
But the facts are the facts. Thomas Frank likes Richarlison, and Frank makes all the calls. When the international break ends, fans better expect to see more of Richarlison in a Tottenham jersey.