Arsenal legend Martin Keown admits he is very impressed by the impact of Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham Hotspur with James Maddison shining at the shock Premier League leaders.
With Yves Bissouma’s first-half red card limiting the fluidity and the ferocity of an in-form Tottenham side, Spurs needed a moment of magic from someone, somewhere as the ten men toiled away at a fired-up Luton Town side on Saturday lunchtime.
And it would have come as no surprise that it was James Maddison who pulled the proverbial rabbit out of the hat, dancing his way through the Luton backline before setting up fellow summer signing Micky van de Ven with a swish and a flick of his wand of a right boot.
Six wins and no defeats makes this Tottenham’s best-ever start to a Premier League season.
And while Maddison has hogged much of the headlines, Keown believes that the arrival of Ange Postecoglou has raised the levels of almost every player in the squad, the Arsenal legend paying a reluctant tribute to the side keeping his old employers off top spot.
James Maddison shines under Ange Postecoglou
“If you’re a player in that group and you continuously listened to (Antonio) Conte, I think this was a group who were wounded. There is a manager who has come in, and he has shown some trust and some belief,” Keown tells talkSPORT, Postecoglou putting an arm around the shoulder and nursing the scars inflicted by Conte’s iron fist.
“They were being accused of all sorts by Conte, saying they were selfish and there was no heart. They weren’t really responding to Conte’s style of management. It seems that (Postecoglou) has put his arm around them a little bit, shown some belief and some care.
“When a new manager comes into the building and he’s such a nice guy, you play with freedom. I was being told, before (Arsenal hired Arsene) Wenger; ‘get the ball and give it to someone who can play’. Suddenly, I’ve got a manager saying ‘no, Martin, you can play!
“I can see that (belief) in their play. Obviously, the addition of Maddison has been quite inspired but everyone else has come in and been transformed.”
Tottenham top of the table
Maddison now has five assists in just eight league games this term. No player in the division has more. Kieran Trippier and Pedro Neto of Newcastle United and Wolves joining him at the top of the charts.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
