Tottenham secured a commanding 4-1 victory over West Ham, with Dejan Kulusevski taking centre stage in a performance that demonstrated his growing influence on the team.
The Swedish midfielder not only scored a crucial equalising goal but also played a significant role in both attacking and defensive phases, showcasing the versatility that has made him an essential figure under manager Ange Postecoglou.
Postecoglou on Dejan Kulusevski’s new midfield role
Following the win, Postecoglou revealed that Kulusevski has been thriving in his new midfield role this season, unlocking previously unseen facets of his game.
The Tottenham boss credited this shift for the player’s improved ability to influence matches from different areas of the pitch.
The manager highlighted Kulusevski’s knack for getting out of tight spaces and his relentless energy, which has made him indispensable to Spurs’ setup.
The Australian coach expressed his belief that while Kulusevski has made significant progress in creating chances and impacting games, there’s still untapped potential for more goals and assists from the midfielder.
Speaking after the game, he said (quotes via TBR):
“Yeah, he has been doing that all year and the evolution of Deki as a player, that is now his role not just for us but he’s playing there for the national team too.”
“He’s got this ability to get out of tight spaces and he’s a really strong runner. He is relentless in his running capacity and he also has the quality.”
“In that final third, I still think we can get more goals out of him, more assists but he is constantly in those threatening areas and he’s been outstanding for us all year.”
“Today he had to show some other facets of the game, some defensive work as well which I thought he did well but I thought the whole team did well.”
In addition to his attacking prowess, Kulusevski’s defensive work also earned praise. He recorded a passing accuracy of 85%, created two chances, and boasted a 100% tackle success rate with eight recoveries—further proof of his all-around contribution to Tottenham’s success.
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