Moussa Sissoko may never be a first-team regular at Spurs but he could still play an important role if used correctly by Pochettino.
Whisper it, but there may be a few shoots of recovery for Moussa Sissoko’s Tottenham Hotspur career.
The £30 million Frenchman, Spurs’ record signing until they brought in Davinson Sanchez from Ajax this summer (BBC), endured a miserable debut season in North London but things appear to be looking up at last.
Sissoko was much improved in Saturday’s 3-0 win at Everton, albeit resembling more of a competent footballer than a £30 million superstar. It is a start, however, for a player who has looked disinterested and ill-fitting since swapping Newcastle for the capital a year ago.
And the fact that Sissoko started that game at Goodison Park in a midfield role more suited to his qualities should not have passed Mauricio Pochettino by.
Sissoko has often been used in an attacking position at Tottenham but his heavy touch and galloping gait hardly suits a Spurs side who thrive on quick interplay and technical quality in small spaces.
And, with Moussa Dembele enduring some difficult moments during the first half as Spurs battled past Borussia Dortmund 3-1 in the Champions League group-stage on Wednesday, Pochettino should take solace in Sissoko’s brighter recent displays.
Sissoko’s energy, pace and directness means he could be a useful component against high class Champions League opposition who prefer to play possession football, allowing Tottenham to hit them hard on counter attacks.
Sissoko’s performance against Everton promised much. And the Frenchman surely cannot afford to deliver yet another false dawn.
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