Tottenham boss chose to go with Jan Vertonghen at left-back at the weekend.
Tottenham Hotspur may have kept a clean sheet against Bournemouth, but should have used the game to give vital minutes to young talent Kyle Walker-Peters.
With Ben Davies suffering from illness, and Danny Rose still unavailable, options were thin on the ground at left-back and Spurs decided to go with Jan Vertonghen in the role.
This led to a change of formation with a flat back four, and Spurs were less efficient as a dynamic force than with their recent 3-4-2-1 formation.
Tottenham could have stuck with the formation had they given Walker-Peters a chance at left wing-back, rather than shunting Vertonghen out to play in a role he has openly admitted previously that he does not enjoy.
While Bournemouth battled well, Spurs could have played Walker-Peters and still have won, and in the process given themselves another option to face Real Madrid.
Walker-Peters is predominantly a right-back, but has previously played for the under-23s on the left.
The match with Bournemouth was an ideal chance to test him out in the position in a Premier League match.
Now Spurs dare not pick him there against Real Madrid – but if he starred in Saturday’s match, Mauricio Pochettino would have given himself another option.
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