Paul Merson claims only three Tottenham players will get into rival starting XI

To The Lane And Back

·18 August 2022

Paul Merson claims only three Tottenham players will get into rival starting XI

Paul Merson: Only three Tottenham Hotspur stars get into the Chelsea starting XI

Writing in his column on Sky Sports, Arsenal legend Paul Merson claimed that only Harry Kane, Son Heung-min, and Cristian Romero would have gotten into Chelsea’s starting XI that played Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.

Spurs and the Blues played out a 2-2 draw whereby a stoppage-time equaliser from Harry Kane meant that the spoils were shared. Antonio Conte’s men did not start a single new signing in the game at Stamford Bridge and trusted the XI that beat Southampton 4-1.

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Destiny Udogie has now become the club’s seventh signing this summer but the sic that came before him were not called up to the starting XI, with Djed Spence being completely dropped from the matchday squad.

Romero is a rock at the back for Tottenham. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Writing after the game, Merson claimed that Spurs still have a team that isn’t as strong as Chelsea on paper. He went on to say:

“Other than Kane and Son, who else would have got into the Chelsea team on Sunday? You’d take goalkeeper Edouard Mendy over Hugo Lloris. You wouldn’t take Spurs’ wing-backs over Chelsea’s, Romero would get into a back three alongside Thiago Silva and Kalidou Koulibaly.”

Merson went on to throw shade on Tottenham’s midfield that started the game – Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Rodrigo Bentancur – as well as full-backs Ryan Sessegnon and Emerson Royal.

“But there’s no way you’d pick Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Rodrigo Bentancur over N’Golo Kante, Jorginho or Mason Mount, and Chelsea aren’t even going to win the league!”

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg of Tottenham Hotspur applauds the fans following victory in the Premier League match against Newcastle United. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Merson has serious doubts over what Spurs can achieve this season. But his comments highlight one thing- just how underrated Hojbjerg is.

Apart from his goal to make the scoreline 1-1 in the 68th minute against the Blues, the Dane was solid in the game, as he has been ever since he joined from Southampton. He is virtually always fit to play and puts in a superb shift each time he takes to the ground.

If someone really picks Jorginho and Kante, two players on the wane due to their age, over Hojbjerg, then with all due respect, they are perhaps influenced by the prior reputation of these players.

Merson is not the first nor the last doubter that Spurs will have this season. It’s on the team to silence them and actualise their true potential under Conte, who is a serial winner when it comes to domestic trophies.