Pundit in awe of two ‘formidable’ Tottenham players now set for big roles
Noel Whelan has insisted low-key duo Oliver Skipp and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg are the “best midfield pairing” at Tottenham.
The former Leeds striker, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, branded the pair a “formidable” partnership that will be the cornerstone of the Spurs future.
As quoted by Football.london after Tottenham’s 3-2 win over Newcastle on Sunday, manager Nuno Espirito Santo lavished praise on the duo’s “fantastic work” towards providing the “foundation” for Spurs’ attacking success.
Hojbjerg also proved an unlikely source of creativity, grabbing his first assist of the season with a perfectly weighted ball for Harry Kane – who equalised with aplomb.
The Danish midfielder has played every minute of Tottenham’s league campaign.
Skipp has now cemented his place in Nuno’s best eleven, with Dele Alli losing out after the ex-Wolves manager adapted his system following a run of three defeats.
Whelan claimed the pair provided Tottenham with a “nice blend”, praising their ability to control the tempo in Spurs’ engine room.
“Right now, Skipp and Hojbjerg are Tottenham’s best midfield pairing,” he told Football Insider‘s Ewan Kingsbury.
“They’re working well together. Controlling the game, speeding it up or slowing it down when they have to.
“That’s what it’s all about when you’ve got two in midfield.
“Ndombele is tracking back well, doing that dirty work as well as going forward.
“Hojbjerg works tirelessly, breaks up the play. Skipp is nice and calm on the ball, controls the tempo nicely.
“They’ve got a nice blend in that midfield. It’s a formidable prospect when they link up with the attack like on Sunday.”
Nuno has deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation in recent games after initially opting for a three-man midfield.
Tottenham have the chance to win a fourth consecutive game when they travel to Vitesse tomorrow.
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