5 Reasons Why Joe Rodon Should Be A Regular Starter For Tottenham Hotspur This Season

Joe Rodon signed for Tottenham Hotspur from Swansea City last summer.

Image Credit: Sky Sports

By Lee Clow 12 August 2021 | Premier League

In October 2020, Joe Rodon made the step up from The Championship to Premier League after he signed for Tottenham Hotspur from Swansea City for fee of £11 million.

After a first season of development and adaptation, Rodon will look to start his second year in North London by integrating himself into the plans of new Spurs head coach, Nuno Espírito Santo.

The 23-year-old showed glimpses of what he can bring to the table last season, but should he become a regular starter in the heart Tottenham’s defence?

The Qualities Of A Modern Day Defender:

There is no doubt that Rodon is a special talent and with the right management and development, he can certainly become one of the world’s best in his position. The Welshman is the perfect modern defender with him being quick, strong and good in the air, as well as having a good reading of the game. Rodon’s standout attribute however has to be his confidence in playing out from out from the back. Unlike Eric Dier and Davinson Sanchez, Rodon can link play up from defence to midfield and this will certainly help his side especially when they come under pressure and need an out ball. Along with this, Espírito Santo has stated that he wants his Spurs side to play attacking football this season and this will best suit Rodon’s skill set, particularly when recycling play.

On The Back Of A Solid Euro 2020 Campaign:

At Euro 2020, Rodon was one of Wales’ standout players. The former Swansea man lead his country from the back and made Wales a tough side to break down. Across the group stage games, Wales only conceded two goals, with both only coming from set pieces. Rodon’s entire skill set appeared at Euro 2020, including his leadership, and this proved that he can perform at the highest level consistently. Rodon must now follow up his great tournament with Wales by become regular starter at Spurs therefore he can progress. The more progress Rodon makes the better it is for Wales for future tournaments, as well as Tottenham who will look to fight for Champions League places as well as end their 13-year trophy drought.

A Fresh Face In Defence:

From 2015 up until 2020, Tottenham arguably had the Premier League’s best centre back pairing of Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen. For most of that time the pair were impenetrable, however during the latter stages, age started to catch up on them and Spurs’ defence declined rapidly. It was clear that fresh faces were needed at Tottenham and Rodon is the answer. Having only made 14 appearances last term, Rodon is still a relatively fresh face within the squad and he, along with new signing Cristian Romero, can be the start of Spurs’ defensive rebuild which is badly needed.

A New Strong Centre Back Pairing With Romero:

As touched upon in the previous point, Rodon has an opportunity to develop a strong partnership with Romero at the heart of Tottenham’s defence. The Argentine will likely become Spurs’ first choice centre back and with Sanchez potentially heading for the exit door, Rodon only has Dier in his way for the shirt. Dier has many more years of experience over Rodon, but the England man has been guilty of making many mistakes during his seven-years at Spurs. Along with this, Rodon has proved with his time at Swansea and Wales that he can form formidable partnerships at the back, and this should impress his manager, as well as help Romero settle into English football. If Espírito Santo is looking for a well drilled defence for the upcoming season, Rodon MUST start alongside Romero.

Fearlessness:

Despite only being 23 years old, Rodon is fearless in his play. As mentioned, the Welshman can confidently play out from the back and even is not afraid to drive his side up the pitch by taking the ball with him. This fearlessness is what is needed at Tottenham especially if they are looking to return to the Champions League as well as finally end their trophy drought. Alongside this, Spurs’ club motto is ‘To Dare Is To Do” and this without a doubt symbolises Rodon and the way he plays.

Overall:

Overall, this upcoming season is a make or break one for Joe Rodon. Some question marks were raised over the transfer last summer, particularly by supporters who preferred a more experienced defender from one of the top five leagues, but there is no doubt that Rodon has the potential to become one of the best defenders in Premier League. It is important that he is managed well by Espírito Santo, but he is the future, and he NEEDS be a regular starter for Tottenham Hotspur.