TObba Voyage isn't the only Swedish attraction currently lighting up London. While fans of the legendary band flocked to east London to watch the event, a little further north, Tottenham fans watched another Swede go about his business.
Dejan Kulusevski has gone from expendable to almost irreplaceable under Ange Postecoglou. In fact, Kulzewski is the midfielder who makes Spurs tick, shining on and off the ball, helping them not only dominate possession but also win it back quickly if they lose it.
Last season, Kulzewski battled with Brennan Johnson for the right wing spot. Although the former was considered additional cover for James Maddison in the tenth role, the opinion was that the Swede was better utilized. This season, however, Postecoglou has used both Spurs in the middle of the park and the Spurs are the best: Kulusevski's speed of thinking can now make up for the lack of speed exposed in Postecoglou's preferred 4-3-3 system.
One of the 24-year-old's weaknesses is his lack of pace, and this is highlighted by Postecoglou's preferred 4-3-3 formation. Despite Kulzewski's rapid training, he was often frustrated by these physical disadvantages, which reduced the former Juventus player's impact. Fast forward to the present, and Kulusevski is absolutely vital to the way this Spurs team plays a central role.
Although he only has one assist in the Premier League this season, that says more about his teammates' audacity than Kulzewski's organization. A total of 23 key passes ranked fifth in England's top flight, 18 of which came from open play, the third most in the division. “I finally have that freedom, my teammates believe in me, the coach believes in me because when I play like that, it's my position, all the instincts and all the ways I can hurt defenders,” he said. 4-1 victory over West Ham on Saturday.
Moving inside means Kulzewski can use his vision to pick out as many opposing defenses as possible, which he does at a very high level. However, what stands out about the decision to move him to the infield is not only his ability to create for his teammates, but also his willingness to force turnovers in the final third. So far this season, Spurs have the second-highest possession average (61.7%) in the Premier League, but when they lose the ball, they relentlessly pressure their opponents to win it quickly.
This was one of the main reasons Postecoglou looked to sign Dominic Solange this summer, one of the hardest-working forwards in England's international division. Kulzewski's rise up the frame means Solange has the support she needs to keep pushing, which Spurs gained in the attacking third (60) with individual metrics led by Kulzewski (13).
Spurs don't need to get going: they're in seventh place after eight games. Brighton's collapse shows that Postecoglou still has a lot of work to do – Gluczewski's performances have not been a bright spot, they have been a ray of light.
In the past, I was in and out of games. Right now, Kulusevski is the Spurs' most consistent player. He is devastating in the final third once he wins the ball and is not one to shy away from a defensive battle to help disrupt his opponent's rhythm, committing more fouls (13) than any other Spurs player in the league.
It is no secret that Postecoglou often delivers trophies in his second season at a club, and the decision to deploy Kulusevski in the middle will prove to be Spurs' best chance of ending their run without a trophy.
