Analysing Harry Winks’ complete performance against for Tottenham against Aston Villa

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Tottenham made several changes to their starting eleven as Mauricio Pochettino provided his squad players with an opportunity to impress. Although they were initially frustrated by a well organised and determined Aston Villa side, their quality shone through in the end as they confirmed their place in the fourth round of the FA Cup. It wasn’t easy, but it provided the players with some valuable experience and that will stand the squad in good stead as we enter the second half of the season. Pochettino will need to rely on his squad players if they are to maintain their league challenge as they also have to contend with the Europa League after failing to impress in the Champions League.

Harry Winks has been one of the breakout stars of this season and is the latest young player to benefit from playing under Mauricio Pochettino. The Argentine boss has been a known advocate of young players since moving to England and he deserves a lot of credit for that. Winks has now played 20 times across all competitions and is beginning to make a case to play a bigger role over the coming months. He is a cultured midfielder who has a good eye for a pass and looks to be aggressive in possession. If developed correctly, he could be a good player for both club and country over the coming years.

During the match on Sunday, Winks was positive in his passing play and rarely gave the ball away. He finished the match with a pass completion rate of 93% and attempted 81 passes in all. That highlights how central he was to Tottenham’s game-plan and he appeared to thrive in the role that Pochettino gave him. He was Tottenham’s most accurate passer alongside Moussa Sissoko and he will be pleased by his overall contribution on the ball. Winks always looks to pass the ball forwards when possible and it is refreshing to see a young Englishman play like that.

Winks has the ability to do it all in midfield and has clearly worked on his defensive contribution. He is a good presser and works hard for his side when the other team has the ball. This is highlighted by his two successful tackles during this match, the same number as his more experienced partner Eric Dier. Aston Villa didn’t show much attacking threat, but he did what he needed to do defensively. It is an area of his game that he will need to continue improving, but the signs are there that he can be a complete midfielder in the future.

Another part of his game that has impressed this season is his dribbling ability. He is capable of beating players and creating space for his side. Winks is intelligent and knows when to carry the ball and when to pass it. He completed his only attempted dribble against Aston Villa and showed his tenacity to keep possession. The 20-year-old was only dispossessed once on Sunday and that will please his manager, especially as other Tottenham players coughed up possession too easily.

There have been a lot of optimism around Tottenham in recent weeks and Winks’ continued progression is another positive. He remains raw, but he keeps improving and is benefiting from his increased playing time. Pochettino is one of the best coaches at bringing through young players and Winks could be the latest to move into England contention. He has some work to do yet, but he looks to be a very good young midfielder. On Sunday, he dictated the tempo at times and was central to everything Tottenham did in attack. Hopefully, 2017 will be an even better year for Winks.