FPL notes: Why Son + Maddison were subs, Howe on Botman

Gameweek 20 kicked off with a typically entertaining clash between Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United – and it’s with that match that we begin our Saturday Scout Notes.

ANGE ON SON, MADDISON + BISSOUMA BENCHINGS AND ILLNESS OUTBREAK

As rumoured on Friday night, Fraser Forster (£4.3m) missed out on the meeting with his former employers due to an illness.

And also as suggested on social media, Archie Gray (£4.6m) and Radu Dragusin (£4.3m) played through it – although Dragusin was only able to last until half-time.

“Everyone was great, unbelievable. Considering what we had to put up with… Radu [Dragusin] and Archie [Gray] literally got off sickbeds to play today, and Radu was shattered at half-time. “Just a bug. Radu and Archie were bedridden all week. Fraser, obviously he’s still bedridden and really struggling with it, there’s a couple of others. Like I said, Radu was spent at half-time, he didn’t have any more to give. Thursday, we literally had 11 fit players for training.” – Ange Postecoglou

However, it doesn’t sound like the benching of Son Heung-min (£9.9m), Yves Bissouma (£4.9m) and James Maddison (£7.7m) was anything other than minute management.

“Just a combination of… I thought we were going to need some energy, some running power early on. As the game went on I thought we would be able to use the experience of the guys who came on and I thought it worked well. We finished really strong. We started the game really well and the only thing that kind of stopped us in our tracks was not football. That was the whole idea about it. “Guys like Sonny, Biss and Maddison, to a lesser extent, they have played a lot of football and I think having them fresh helps them mentally as much as physically. I thought all three when they came on made a real difference for us.” – Ange Postecoglou on why he benched his three midfielders

The reasoning makes sense for Son, after a long run of consecutive starts. Less so for Maddison, who has been benched in the last three Gameweeks – although he himself was ill last weekend.

Brandon Austin (£4.0m) came in for Forster, performing admirably between the posts. But don’t count on the 26-year-old debutant even being in the squad come Gameweek 21, let alone starting. Not only has Forster got 11 days to recover but Spurs are also set to sign Czech custodian Antonin Kinsky in the coming days.

BOTMAN + GORDON UPDATES

Newcastle are having better luck with injuries, with Nick Pope (£4.9m) the only real first-team regular who is currently sidelined.

Fabian Schar (£5.4m) was suspended for this one, however, and his place was taken by the returning Sven Botman (£4.4m).

It was the first start in 10 months for the fit-again Dutchman, and there were fears of a new injury when he walked gingerly off in stoppage time.

Thankfully for him and Newcastle, it was merely a cramp.

“I think nothing more than cramp for Sven, which is expected with the length of time he’s been out. “It was a great effort from him to last that long. We were unsure how long he would be able to go for, with the speed of the Premier League. But thankfully he got through the majority of the game.” – Eddie Howe on Sven Botman

Anthony Gordon (£7.4m) was also in the wars, having his nose bloodied at one point. Again, nothing to worry about it seems.

“I think that’s just a cut. A nasty cut, he had blood all over him so he did well to get back onto the pitch. But nothing more than that, I don’t think.” – Eddie Howe on Anthony Gordon

END TO END

As for the action itself, this was another watchable game between two sides that tend to serve up goalfests when they meet.

The Opta xG said 0.96-2.45 in Newcastle’s favour but it felt closer than that. Over 1.3 of the Magpies’ xG, indeed, were Alexander Isak’s (£9.2m) missed sitter and his goal from a very similar close-range spot.

Gordon also had two excellent chances from the near-identical position he scored from, while Harvey Barnes (£6.0m) should have netted on the break to seal the win.

But Spurs had their openings, too.

Dominic Solanke (£7.5m) had put the hosts in front with a superb stooping header. Brennan Johnson (£6.5m) hit the woodwork as Spurs took control after the interval. Substitute Maddison curled narrowly wide. Both Johnson and Sergio Reguilon (£4.2m) – remember him? – lashed wildly off-target when well placed.

“Hugely proud. I’m shattered the boys didn’t get the rewards they deserved because we were outstanding, our football was outstanding against a very good opponent in good form and a good place. I thought it was brilliant and outstanding, it’s a game we deserved to win and on any other day we would have won.” – Ange Postecoglou, alluding to the controversial nature of Gordon’s equaliser, with the ball hitting Joelinton’s arm in the build-up

This was a reminder that, even with multiple absentees, even down in the doldrums in mid-table and even running on fumes, Spurs remain a potent attacking force. Postecoglou’s side rank second, indeed, for goals scored (42) this season.

Their problems, as everyone knows, are at the other end. Part of it is defendable given the lengthy absentee list. But Postecoglou’s refusal to compromise in spite of injury crises and fixture difficulty means we’re going to continue to see high-scoring affairs most weeks – and we’ll likely get another in the north London derby in Gameweek 21.

Above: Gordon’s xG shotmap in Gameweek 20. The Newcastle winger got joy against Pedro Porro (£5.5m), who true to form claimed an assist at the other end.

HOWE ON HIS DEFENCE

Newcastle are in a rich vein of attacking form, with the front three all chipping in with attacking returns again.

Isak’s scoring streak now extends to seven matches, while Gordon has only blanked once in eight Gameweeks.

Jacob Murphy (£5.1m) continues to play and to play well – as he’ll have to consistently do as historically the most rotation-prone link in the front three. This was Murphy’s seventh start in a row, while his assist for Isak’s goal was his eighth return in six Gameweeks.

“Yeah, he’s been very, very important and probably more than people may realise because we ask a lot of Jacob in lots of different ways. Plays an important role. Of course, everyone plays an important role in our pressing. With the ball, he’s been brilliant. I mean the assists and the goals that he’s got in the last few weeks is… Alex probably owes Jacob the majority of his goals with his crossing ability, which has always been very strong. But also defensively, we use him in a variety of ways. He’s a very versatile player. With always with Jacob, he’s very team-orientated as well and he doesn’t get the credit perhaps that he deserves. So it’s nice to see that he’s getting the assists that’s bringing his performances to everyone’s attention.” – Eddie Howe on Jacob Murphy

The Magpies have had the fortune of meeting Manchester United and Spurs at possibly the best moments imaginable, while Aston Villa were reduced to 10 men on Tyneside early in Gameweek 18. Still, you can only beat what’s in front of you – and Howe’s mob have done it in style.

At the back, a run of four successive clean sheets was spoiled.

Botman’s return is an interesting one. Schar will almost certainly come back into the side in Gameweek 21, with Howe not keen on playing two left-footers at centre-half. This was very much an emergency measure.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if Botman is back down among the substitutes against Wolverhampton Wanderers, then, with Howe’s words about preferring to “keep a settled back four” from his pre-match presser worth repeating here:

“That’s been down to the form of the lads that have played. I think Lloyd [Kelly] is a versatile player, can play as you say a number of positions. I think the form of Dan [Burn] and Fabian [Schar] at the heart of the defence has been really strong, especially of late. I think we look good defensively so I think that’s always a position that is difficult for me to rotate too much. I prefer to keep a settled back four and not to chop and change I think that your stability, your team, is based on relationships.” – Eddie Howe on Lloyd Kelly’s lack of game-time, speaking on Friday

So long as things are going well at the back, the regulars of recent months – including the two full-backs – will be confident of keeping their places.

“Yeah, I’m sure that they were aware of that, that Thomas [Tuchel] was here. Thomas will be well aware of their qualities from not just watching today, but from previous games. All they’ve got to do is carry on playing as well as they have done this season. Think both players were very good today.” – Eddie Howe on Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall

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