Prior to their Premier League match on Thursday, Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou praised Destiny Udogie during his pre-match press conference.
The Spurs manager praised the 21-year-old full-back as “so quick and so powerful,” adding that he doesn’t want to limit his skill set due to rules.
When Tottenham Hotspur Stadium hosts West Ham on Thursday at 8:15 p.m., they will be looking to win their first game in five.
This season, Udogie has been a revelation for Spurs, starting every game for Postecoglou and making an impression on the left side of defense. This season, he has only missed two games.
The 21-year-old missed both the Wolves loss following his dismissal at Chelsea and the October victory over Crystal Palace due to a muscular ailment.
Ange Postecoglou: Destiny Udogie, a star for Tottenham, needs that aspect of his game.
With four yellows on his record right now, Udogie is teetering on the verge of yet another suspension. Cristian Romero would also receive a four-match suspension for a second straight red card.
Postecoglou was asked if he needs to “police that with the group” or if the players take care of that on their own, according to quotes that football.london transcribed.
“A blend of both,” declared the Tottenham manager. “Look, they are placed in that role as defenders, and I believe Destiny has had some bad luck.”
However, having that aspect of your game is essential for defenders, especially in the Premier League.
“You are up against some of the world’s top strikers and offensive players.
“Physicality is a big part of what they bring to the game, and we don’t want to take that away from Destiny in particular because he is such a quick and strong full-back.
However, the consequences for those kinds of actions go beyond receiving a yellow or red card when it comes to discipline.
The way you conduct yourself on the football field and the way we play both follow a disciplined approach. Each of those items has an impact.1
