Would Tottenham represent a good option for Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha?

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Approaching the last six weeks of the football season, the media is beginning to frenzy regarding the coming summer months. The rumour mill has well and truly started, as newspapers try to second guess teams plans for the summer market. One rumour that has been persistent since the end of the previous summer window, and appears to be picking up pace, is Tottenham’s pursuit of Wilfried Zaha, as reported by The Mirror. With the winger, who has just committed to Ivory Coast over England, fast approaching a critical stage of his career, would Zaha be wise to jump ship from South London to North London?

On paper, Zaha to Tottenham seems a good fit. The flying Ivorian has impressed in a Crystal Palace side that has languished at the wrong end of the Premier League this season. After a disappointing spell at Manchester United, Zaha’s return to his old stomping ground has appeared to rejuvenate the winger, contributing five goals and six assists during the current campaign. In particular, his wonderful solo goal versus Hull City and his scissor kick against Swansea have drawn attention to Zaha’s ability to perform the spectacular, something that alluded him during his time in Manchester.

Most importantly for the 24-year old and Palace, his attacking contributions are finally showing a more consistent end product. Whilst Wilfried’s pace and trickery were never doubted, his consistency and end product had been scrutinised, and seen as blocks to his development into a top Premier League winger. Having now overcome his inconsistencies, the player has the tenacity to test himself once again at the top level. In conjunction with his improved end product, Zaha’s physical attributes and style of play is what makes him an attractive proposition for Mauricio Pochettino and his Tottenham side.

Zaha’s reputation has been built on his pace, his agility and the way in which he is very direct in his running, looking to cause problems for his opposing fullback. In the current season, and last, Tottenham has lacked the ability to be more direct. They have instead focused on intricate interplay, relying on the quick movement of the ball in the final third. At times in certain games, players like Eriksen, Alli and Son have not been able to carve open defences that sit very deep, resulting in frustrating draws away from home against teams lower in the table.

Zaha, who prefers to have his fullback running towards his own goal, would provide a plan B for a Tottenham side that were beginning to labour against a well-organised opposition. The need for someone to provide a different option has certainly been highlighted, considering previous summer signings Moussa Sissoko and Georges-Kévin N’Koudou have failed to provide any meaningful contributions off the bench. Whilst Zaha may find it hard to break into the settled Tottenham side initially, if he continues in the same vein of form showed at Crystal Palace, he may soon have Pochettino’s head turned.

However, Pochettino is a hard task master and has never compromised away from his core beliefs of hard work and having the right attitude. Zaha has been openly criticised for his attitude in the past, as reported in Wales Online, something which the feisty Argentinian would not tolerate. First and foremost, the Ivory Coast international would be expected to work in the same manner as the rest of Tottenham’s squad, with the team regularly racking up impressive kilometres covered in games.

Zaha may not have been criticised for this of late, with his work rate rarely questioned now. However, the North London outfit do operate a high intensity, high press system, and that is something that Pochettino must believe Zaha can fit into. In addition, Tottenham’s defensive record the past two seasons has been astounding. A key element in their defensive solidity is the entire team contributing to the cause, starting from Kane at the top. The versatile winger will have to show a clear willingness to track runners, win the ball back for his side and protect his full-backs.

If Zaha is willing to buy into the project and the philosophy at Tottenham, it is hard to see how the tricky winger will not continue his trajectory towards the Premier League’s top wingers, especially under the tutelage of Pochettino and his backroom staff. For the player, as an individual, the opportunity to play in Champions League and prove he belongs at the top level may be too hard to resist. For Tottenham, the enigmatic wide man represents a good addition, to provide more quality from the start or from the bench, as they continue their quest to push themselves further in the Champions League, and the race for the title next season.

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