TBR View: Jose Mourinho should give Joe Rodon first Tottenham start v West Brom

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Tottenham travel to West Brom on Sunday for their final match before the international break and it’s an opportunity to pick up a three points that would cap a decent start to the Premier League season.

Spurs sit fourth in the league table after seven matches going into this weekend, while opponents West Brom are in the relegation places and are without a victory so far.

Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho has been fairly flexible with his line ups so far this season, with the sheer amount of domestic and European fixtures forcing his hand somewhat to rotate.

Most players in the squad have had a decent chance to try make a statement on the pitch, but one man still waiting in the wings is summer signing Joe Rodon.

Rodon, who cost £11million (BBC) from Swansea City, has made one Spurs appearance since his arrival and that was a 93rd minute substitution against Burnley to help run the clock down.

The 23-year-old defender wasn’t signed in time to be added to the Europa League squad and has had to watch his team play on Thursdays, plus he’s yet to start a match or get any decent minutes on the pitch.

Unfortunately he’s going to be stuck in a similar position after the internationals where he’s not available for selection in Europe until the New Year and it looks unlikely that Mourinho would throw him in against Manchester City or Chelsea during the the remaining league games in November.

Spurs’ trip to West Brom on Sunday certainly can’t be taken for granted, but it looks like the perfect opportunity to give Rodon a chance to impress and hand him a first start.

He delivered a man of the match display against West Brom last season in the Championship at Swansea in a 0-0 draw and he’s a highly-rated centre-back that needs some club game-time before the close of the year.

The Wales international has stiff competition in the centre-back position with Toby Alderweireld, Eric Dier, Davinson Sanchez and Japhet Tanganga, but Rodon needs a Spurs chance to show what he can do in the top-flight.