da gbg bet： Back-to-back defeats in the Premier League serve as a reminder to Tottenham Hotspur that the squad isn't good enough to compete with the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool for the title.
da imperador bet： Despite an excellent start to the campaign, significant injuries to key players such as James Maddison, Richarlison and Micky van de Ven have exposed weaknesses in Ange Postecoglou's depth, with the likes of Emerson Royal, Ben Davies, Eric Dier and Giovani Lo Celso all receiving game-time in the disappointing 2-1 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers prior to the international break.
Postecoglou is looking to add some more quality to the current crop of players at his disposal but could be making a massive mistake by approaching one player in particular.
Tottenham Hotspur transfer targets – Ben Godfrey
According to 90min, Spurs have added Ben Godfrey to a list of centre-back targets ahead of the fast-approaching January transfer window, with Everton said to be open to selling the defender after dropping down the pecking order at Goodison Park. Spurs' top-four rivals Newcastle United are also interested in signing the former Norwich City star, as per the report.
Having been signed by Carlo Ancelotti back in 2020 for £20m after the Canaries were relegated down to the Championship, Godfrey has gone on to make 79 appearances for the Merseyside club but has featured just once under Sean Dyche this term in the Premier League which was a one-minute cameo during a 2-2 draw with Sheffield United back in September.
The England international is now worth merely £4m, as per the CIES Football Observatory, meaning Spurs could potentially snap up the 25-year-old for quite cheap, although it's safe to say that Nottingham Forest legend Stuart Pearce certainly isn't a fan, having once called Godfrey "disastrous" after being taken off at half-time last season in a defeat to Manchester United.
Ben Godfrey's stats this season
Tottenham have a lot of quality, particularly in the starting lineup when everyone is fully fit. However, the drop-off in certain positions will be a worry for Postecoglou, particularly at the back. While Ben Godfrey may be available for relatively cheap, the Everton defender isn't closer to Van de Ven's ability than Dier.
In fact, Godfrey is statistically similar to former Spurs man Serge Aurier, according to FBref's player comparison model. The Tottenham target is primarily a central defender but has featured 31 times as a full-back at Everton. Dier is also outperforming the York-born defender in a number of key metrics.
Blocks
1.35
1.2
1.31
Interceptions
0.9
0.84
1.12
Aerial Duels Won %
46.9
64.3
69.6
Tackles
2.25
1.81
0.96
Tackles Won
1.24
1.2
0.61
Errors Leading To Goals
0.11
0.12
0.06
Progressive Passes
2.13
4.34
2.78
Passes To Final 1/3
2.7
3.13
2.43
Stats via FBref
As a result of Godfrey and Dier's lack of minutes this season, data had to be taken from the previous campaign. None of the three players are excelling in any area but the Everton man is lagging behind in a number of metrics.
Additionally, when compared with all defenders across Europe's top-five leagues over the past calendar year, Godfrey ranks in the bottom 1% for passes attempted per 90 and the lowest 4% for progressive passes per 90 which isn't ideal considering Postecoglou's style revolves around playing expansive, possession-based football.
Considering Spurs allowed Aurier to leave for nothing in 2021 and are reportedly looking to sell Dier, signing a player at a similar level won't improve Ange's squad for the second half of the season.