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Ange Postecoglou has already discovered his new Tottenham undroppable after notable change

Ange Postecoglou has a new Tottenham undroppable in his team
-Credit: (Image: Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images)


Dejan Kulusevski's position down Tottenham's right flank appears to be a thing of the past. Previously an automatic starter on the wing following his move from Juventus in 2022, the Swede is now mainly operating centrally for Ange Postecoglou and Spurs.

Utilised as a striker on the last day of the 2023/24 campaign away at Sheffield United, Kulusevski did in fact get more game time there in pre-season and also in the first half of the recent Newcastle United defeat with both Dominic Solanke and Richarlison out injured. However, it is now in midfield where he is really beginning to make his mark for Tottenham.

The Stockholm-born player is no stranger to the position having played there for Atalanta's youngsters after making the move from IF Brommapojkarna in the summer of 2016. Kulusevski did move to the right-wing during his year on loan at Parma and has pretty much stayed there ever since due to his performances and also the numbers he has posted from the position.

Speaking to football.london in Tel Aviv in July 2022, the 24-year-old admitted that he sees he best position on the pitch as the No.10 role.

"It’s a very good question, I’ve been thinking about this all my whole life," he said. "I always thought of me being a No 10, I still think I am, but my best results as a football player have always come being a right winger, so I don’t know!

"In the future, we will see where I’ll be. Yeah I can probably play wing-back too. It’s football, you want to help a good team, you want to play, enjoy, work hard and have fun."

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Already having some excellent midfield options at his disposal before adding Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall to the numbers this summer, Postecoglou now has a further choice in the middle due to Kulusevski's positional switch. He's not just an additional player to consider for the role, though, as Tottenham's No.21 already looks like an undroppable in the midfield trio.

Catching the eye there in the recent 4-0 win over Everton and also in the second half against Newcastle when he moved back into midfield from his role up front, the ex-Juventus man was one of Tottenham's best players in Sunday's North London Derby defeat to Arsenal and certainly the team's standout midfielder on the day. Kulusevski looked to be a driving force from midfield for Tottenham and went close early on as he forced David Raya into action at his near post following some good play from Solanke and Son Heung-min.

An inswinging delivery from the player down Spurs' right almost found a way into the far corner with the Arsenal shot-stopper again needing to push the ball wide of the target to stop it creeping in. Kulusevski's battling qualities were on show throughout, including one moment where he tried to barge his way through a host of Arsenal defenders on the edge of the box, and no Tottenham player won more duels (five), won possession more times (four) or made more tackles (three) than Kulusevski in the first half.

Looking the most likely midfield player to make things happen for Tottenham in the final third with James Maddison's say on the game fading after a decent start to proceedings, Kulusevski and Spurs unfortunately couldn't find a way past a resolute Arsenal defence. The Sweden international did go close in stoppage time with a rasping drive from distance going over Raya's crossbar by a matter of inches but that was to be the team's last attempt on goal.

Having players such as Yves Bissouma, Rodrigo Bentancur, Pape Matar Sarr, Gray, Bergvall and Maddison to choose from in the middle, Kulusevski already appears to be an unlikely undroppable in the midfield trio for Postecoglou going on his previous playing time in attack. At long last the Swede's favoured role may now be his primary position for Tottenham.

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