£8m Tottenham flop who Ange Postecoglou wanted rid of is now the highest rated player in Spain
Today at 01:15 PM
Prior to their loss against Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend, Tottenham Hotspur were heading into the international break in good spirits.
Brennan Johnson was on fire, Dominic Solanke was finding his scoring touch and Tottenham had won five games in a row in all competitions.
Of course, things then took a turn for the worse at the Amex Stadium, a second half that was a reminder of how much progress Ange Postecoglou still has to make.
Despite their control of the first 45 minutes, Spurs collapsed, conceding three goals owing to their lacklustre defensive efforts.
Micky van de Ven was as guilty as anyone in a Tottenham shirt, a defender who is usually flawless.
That being said, perhaps Spurs' biggest hiccup actually came a month or so before at the end of the summer transfer window.
Giovani Lo Celso has a higher rating than Lamine Yamal in La Liga
Postecoglou wanted to sell Giovani Lo Celso this summer, a stance that never waivered despite some positive contributions last season.
Eventually, the Tottenham manager got his wish and Lo Celso returned to Real Betis for a fee of £8m – a move that has revitalised his career.
READ MORE: Harry Redknapp admits Tottenham attacker under Ange Postecoglou 'doesn't excite me'
In just six games for Betis in La Liga this season, the Argentina international has scored five goals, a remarkable step up in form.
Lo Celso is thriving in a number 10 role in Spain, playing beside former West Ham United player Pablo Fornals to his right.
And according to Sofascore, Lo Celso has actually been the best performing player across the whole division heading into the international break.
Lo Celso has an average rating of 8.27 for the minutes he's played, the only non Barcelona or Real Madrid player in the top six.
Raphinha is second (8.01) and Lamine Yamal (7.94) third, demonstrating the level that Lo Celso is playing at.
Tottenham need to provide better support for Dominic Solanke
Whilst these ratings are still subjective, it perhaps proves that Tottenham were either wrong to not give Lo Celso a consistent chance, or either they recouped too little when selling.
The midfielder has as many goals as Kylian Mbappe in La Liga this season, and yet Johnson is topping Spurs' scoring charts with just three strikes.
In all fairness, Postecoglou did have a good look at Lo Celso during his time in N17, but it's hard not to question the decision to let him go given this immediate success.
Either way, Tottenham need to react quickly to remedy their own form once the international break is over.
That being said, Les Ferdinand has spotted a problem with Dominic Solanke at Tottenham, a striker being underused by his teammates.
