Spurs “monster” who ranks in top 99% for xG could supercharge Maddison

For the first time in years, Tottenham Hotspur have a clear style of play that has been brilliant to watch.

But the race for Champions League football is now truly on, with the 3-0 defeat to Fulham last weekend preventing Ange Postecoglou’s side from applying more pressure on Aston Villa in fourth.

Spurs failed to score for the first time in the Premier League all season at Craven Cottage, which was mainly down to poor finishing.

However, there’s one player who could have impacted the game much more, had he been fit enough to start from the off.

Richarlison’s 2023/24 season in numbers

There’s no two ways about it: Postecoglou’s influence on Richarlison has been immense this season, to the point where he is almost undroppable from the side.

Whether it’s playing off the left or as the number nine, the Brazilian’s performance levels have maintained the same standard over his 17 Premier League starts this season.

Despite only playing 60 minutes per game on average, the former Everton star has netted ten times and provided three assists, with only Heung-min Son picking up more goal contributions in the Spurs squad.

That said, the 26-year-old missed three games throughout February and March with a knee injury, but he is now fully recovered, playing the final ten minutes against Fulham, and his impact was instantly noticeable, producing two shots.

How Richarlison could supercharge Maddison

James Maddison arrived in the summer from Leicester City for £40m, becoming the key signing to kickstart the Postecoglou reign with a bang, and he certainly did that.

The number ten picked up two assists on his competitive Spurs debut in the 2-2 draw against Brentford, and he already had six more goal contributions to his name by November.

However, the England international suffered a huge setback against Chelsea in that very month, which put a stop to his momentum and saw him miss 11 matches with an ankle injury.

Luckily, his form seems to have returned in recent weeks, scoring and assisting against Aston Villa and Crystal Palace while taking on plenty of the attacking creativity as always.

As you can see by the table above comparing Maddison to his positional peers in the Premier League, he’s one of the most creative outlets in England, ranking impressively for a host of passing statistics.

As a result, Richarlison could supercharge Maddison. Boasting such immense creativity, the former Foxes star needs a target to hit more frequently in the box. Richarlison would certainly do that, therefore, enhancing the 27-year-old’s creativity.

The fact that Richarlison ranks in the top 1% for xG (expected goals) compared to wingers over the last 365 days across the top European competitions, as per FBref, further supports that he is a huge threat when in the side, with the Australian boss also labelling him a “goal-mouth monster.”

From now until the end of the season, every win and point is vital, and with Richarlison in the side linking up with Maddison, it’s fair to say that Spurs have a much better chance of achieving their goal of Champions League football.