View: Tottenham ace could decide PL relegation fate - but he's not even playing

It’s simplistic to suggest that Tottenham Hotspur badly need wins, not crowd boosters.

But Roberto De Zerbi‘s decision to name James Maddison on the bench for the 2-2 draw with Brighton was seconds away from becoming his first masterstroke since taking charge.

It did have its desired effect after the news of his inclusion spread like wildfire around the ground ahead of kick-off. Supporters, after all, had been caught off guard after De Zerbi played down the playmaker’s chances of returning this season just days before.

Maddison hasn’t played since August, having suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury during Spurs’ pre-season friendly against Newcastle in South Korea. It was a surprise, then, that the 29-year-old was made available for the squad in North London on Saturday evening.

De Zerbi believes Spurs can win their remaining five matches to avoid relegation from the Premier League for the first time since 1977, but the clock is ticking.

Tottenham badly missing James Maddison

The Italian demanded his players report for training on Monday with a smile on their face, or they would be sent home. When they do get back to work, Maddison will be crucial in helping to lift spirits despite the cavernous trap door lurking below them.

There is no room for moping. The severity of this situation will leave no passengers unscathed. Somehow, Spurs must pick themselves up and dust themselves down after the brutal dagger that was Georginio Rutter’s last-gasp equaliser for Brighton.

With Maddison watching on from down the tunnel, having headed inside after not being brought on, Rutter arrived to rocket home the visitors’ leveller with seconds left on the clock. Everywhere you looked, Spurs players on their haunches littered the floor at the final whistle.

Maddison’s inclusion had been designed to prevent scenes like this. Naming him among the substitutes had been largely symbolic. If rumours are to be believed, he is not quite ready to make his return, meaning his spot on the bench was purely to help rouse his team-mates.

It has been a long and gruelling way back for the former Leicester man. He has been training with the first-team for a little while now, but at present, it is unlikely that he will be able to make his comeback before the end of the campaign. That will be a crying shame for Spurs.

He remains their most talented and creative attacking fulcrum, and it is no surprise that they have so sorely lacked thrust during his absence. They have also missed his leadership at a time when De Zerbi needs his players to help rally themselves.

Tellingly, Maddison came back out onto the pitch at full-time to console his squad-mates. While his return was a much-needed pick-me-up, it fell short of helping them secure a first Premier League victory since beating Crystal Palace on December 28.

Maddison will be desperate to be more than a glorified support act.

Last season, he was Tottenham’s highest-rated player on Sofascore with 7.30, narrowly ahead of Son Heung-min (7.27) and Pedro Porro (7.19). He scored nine top-flight goals from an expected goals (xG) tally of 5.83, demonstrating his clinical nature in and around the box.

He also registered seven assists and 1.3 key passes per 90 minutes for his team-mates, which they have missed this season. Since joining Spurs, he has made 58 top-flight appearances, scoring 13 times and bagging 16 assists, while also creating 108 chances.

These are deeply impressive numbers, but De Zerbi must press on without them.

Tottenham find balance vs Brighton

On a rather more positive note, Spurs finally found better balance against Brighton. Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma worked well in tandem in the double pivot, while Xavi Simons stole the show in Maddison’s usual No 10 spot. De Zerbi deserves credit for these changes.

The new head coach admitted he had little time for complex tactics, but the simplistic approach has already led to two improved performances. Really, they deserved to finally clinch that elusive win. They were brave and almost played their way out of danger.

They created more chances and kept the ball with greater confidence. Players demanded the ball, and a notable uptick in tempo quickly brought the crowd onside. It is just a shame that all this may be forgotten after the manner of their last-minute disappointment.

How Maddison would complement this new approach.

De Zerbi will rue his inability to call upon him, potentially to the extent that he could be tempted to echo Ange Postecoglou’s downcast assessment last season.

Of course, the Australian infamously declared that the light at the end of the tunnel at Spurs too often turns out to be an oncoming train. But Maddison’s return is certainly not a false dawn. It is, in fact, a glimmer of hope when that is in dangerously short supply.

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