One week into December, Tottenham Hotspur let their lead slip on residence soil at hand West Ham United victory within the Premier League; it was Ange Postecoglou‘s facet’s fourth defeat in 5 matches.
A number of months again, the 2022/23 season whirred into life and Postecoglou’s undertaking took off with unfettered fluency, eight victories and two attracts putting Spurs on the high of the desk and pleasingly forward of schedule within the early days of a brand new period.
The ebb and move of outcomes and efficiency this season just isn’t new on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium however the large distinction is the singular imaginative and prescient underneath Postecoglou’s administration, every acquisition made within the switch market offering a lift to the general energy of the squad.
That is to not say that many current gamers had been lower than customary, with the likes of Cristian Romero, Dejan Kulusevski and Heung-min Son revived after final 12 months’s battle.
A lot deadwood has been moved on however one sale earlier than Postecoglou’s arrival in Jack Clarke is likely to be seen with a sure ruefulness, with the Sunderland winger actually able to incomes reward down the N17.
Why Tottenham signed Jack Clarke
Method again in 2019, Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham accomplished the signing of teenage prospect Clarke for round £10m, becoming a member of from Leeds United and remaining at Elland Street on mortgage for the 2019/20 time period.
Solely 18 years previous, Clarke had made his Whites debut underneath Marcelo Bielsa in 2018 and impressed with some precocious shows, posting two objectives and two assists apiece throughout simply 4 beginning appearances within the Championship.
Pundit Noel Whelan had actually observed the teenager’s expertise, waxing over his traits and saying: “He has obtained an excellent skill to glide previous gamers. I don’t suppose I’ve seen a winger actually as gifted as that, the place it appears to be like easy, simply to take any person on and he actually does get you on the sting of your seat, he’s a type of thrilling gamers.
“He’s solely going to get higher however as soon as once more a participant we are able to solely take pleasure in if we go into the Premier League as a result of there’s groups sniffing round him.”
It actually wasn’t a mistake for Tottenham to make their transfer for Clarke, blessed with many engaging pure qualities and displaying indicators of productiveness by means of each his direct menace and playmaking.
However Clarke’s signing was simply one among many youth prospects making the leap to a workforce on the forefront of English soccer too quickly; may he have been higher positioned in a steady setting for a couple of extra years, as an alternative of itinerantly leaping from mortgage stint to mortgage stint?
Antonio Conte seems to have made a mistake in permitting Clarke to float away in 2022, with the extensive man now shining and proving his value as a winger studded with pure expertise and self-belief.
As soon as praised for his “undoubtable expertise” by QPR’s former director of soccer Les Ferdinand, throughout one among his a number of mortgage spells whereas on Tottenham’s books, Clarke solely made 4 senior appearances for Spurs earlier than finishing a remaining mortgage transfer to Sunderland halfway by means of the 2021/22 marketing campaign, impressing through the Black Cats’ promotion push in League One and incomes a everlasting switch the next summer time.
Jack Clarke’s Sunderland profession
Now aged 23, Clarke has discovered his toes on the Stadium of Mild and cemented a starring spot in a facet pushing for a return to the Premier League.
Final season, his first full 12 months in Tyne and Put on, the 23-year-old scored 11 objectives and offered 14 assists throughout 50 appearances in all competitions as Sunderland reached the play-off semi-finals, shedding to Luton City.
As per FBref, the 6 foot 1 attacker ranks among the many high 15% of attacking midfielders and wingers throughout Europe’s high 5 leagues over the previous 12 months for shot-creating actions and tackles, the highest 1% for progressive carries, the highest 5% for profitable take-ons and the highest 2% for touches within the attacking field per 90.
Such metrics converse of blistering tempo and a wily and progressive skill that permits him to surge into promising positions down the left flank and unleash his creativity.
As per Sofascore, Clarke has been in unbelievable kind this time period and presently stands with 13 objectives and 4 assists within the second tier, averaging 2.5 key passes, 1.7 tackles, 4.6 ball recoveries, 3.7 dribbles and eight.2 profitable duels per sport.
It is a beautiful degree of efficiency and one that implies he’s prepared for a second shot on the large time; certainly, West Ham and Serie A facet Lazio had pushed for a switch in January however had been rebuffed.
Destined for the highest, Clarke may really be acting at the next customary than Tottenham winger Brennan Johnson, who signed for the membership from Nottingham Forest in a £47.5m bundle final summer time.
Higher than Brennan Johnson
Johnson has solely clinched two objectives and 4 assists throughout 19 outings for Spurs to date however was essential to the Difficult Timber’ Premier League survival final season and scored ten instances.
After all, Clarke presently plies his commerce under England’s top-flight and Johnson hardly struggled throughout his final season within the Championship, scoring 16 objectives and supplying 9 assists as Nottingham Forest secured promotion, however the Sunderland star is demonstrating newfound maturity and, theoretically, if he may switch his kind to Tottenham proper now he could be poised for fulfillment.
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Brennan Johnson: Key Traits |
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Supply: WhoScored |
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Whereas Johnson is a crisp dribbler and has been lauded for his “horrifying” pace by compatriot Joe Allen, there is a case that Clarke affords all Johnson, aged 22, does and extra.
Averaging simply 0.7 dribbles, 1.1 key passes and a couple of.8 key passes per sport within the high flight highlights this level.
Johnson is younger and can hopefully proceed to take strides underneath Postecoglou’s wing, however had Spurs managed Clarke’s time on the membership higher then there may be each chance that a big sum may have been saved on Johnson and a really dynamic and efficient phenom may now be coming into their very own within the capital.