Tottenham Hotspur need to forget their

Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterHes the reason, Tottenham Hotspur fans once sang about Rodrigo Bentancur. In the 2021/22 season, particularly once Antonio Conte took over from Nuno Espirito Santo, the Uruguayan was instrumental in the middle of the park.He forged a fine partnership with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, and looked a world beater in north London. There was even an argument to be made that he was their most important player. Spurs wouldnt have secured a Champions League finish without Bentancur in the side.Disaster, though, struck in February 2023. Bentancur suffered an ACL injury at Leicester City. In the years since, Bentancur wasnt the same player. A succession of spells on the sidelines owing to knee, ankle and hamstring issues hardly helped the Uruguay international.Too safeNor did the Thomas Frank Reign of Pain. At one stage last season, the Danes favoured midfield pairing was Bentancur and Joao Palhinha at the base in the 4-2-3-1 formation. The axis of evil was resoundingly criticised, particularly at home when the north London side were accused of being too safe.So, when Spurs spent �185m to bring Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium from Newcastle United and West Ham United, respectively, many felt Bentancur would be deemed surplus to requirements. At that point, the idea was that both Tonali and Fernandes would forge the deep-lying pairing in Roberto De Zerbis preferred 4-2-3-1 setup. You may like I've done a complete U-turn on Roberto De Zerbi, here's why Tottenham Hotspur can launch a title challenge under him Tottenham Hotspur can fix their James Maddison and Xavi Simons injury headaches without spending a penny Tottenham looked like strangers at Brentford Roberto De Zerbi must find a solution Yet, three games into the new Premier League season, Bentancur has started twice. He replaced Lucas Bergvall at the break in last months 3-0 defeat at Brentford, the Swede having struggled in the opening 45 minutes. He ranks fifth for total league minutes (225) at Spurs.Admittedly, results havent gone in the clubs favour. They have collected just one point from meetings with the Bees, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, and are one of three teams yet to score a league goal in Englands top tier this season.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Saturdays 0-0 draw with Forest, though, was a step in the right direction. Spurs looked more threatening going forward, and could have gone ahead in the first half had Omar Marmoush hit the target when one-on-one with Matz Sels.What caught the eye, however, was Bentancurs standout performance. The former Juventus midfielder was arguably Spurs best player at the City Ground, putting in the necessary nitty-gritty display that helped Spurs claim a first point of the season. They were far tougher to break down than they were in back-to-back defeats to Brentford and Newcastle.Indeed, Bentancur made nine clearances, two interceptions and one tackle in the Midlands. He managed five ball recoveries, won six duels and four aerial duels. While Spurs splashed the cash to improve the squad in the off-season following their relegation scrap, its the 2022 �18m addition that continues to shine in a key area. What to read next Tottenham Hotspur eye �100m Premier League star: report Tottenham's one key decision showed they may finally be leaving their banter era Sandro Tonali explains what Roberto De Zerbi's Tottenham could offer that Manchester City and Enzo Maresca couldn't Conte identified Bentancur as a vital player when he took charge back in 2021, and De Zerbi has done similar following his appointment back in April. In time, De Zerbi may plump for a pairing of Tonali and Fernandes to help take Spurs forward. For the foreseeable future, however, Bentancur needs to be a starter at the base of the midfield.Forget the �185m pairing, its Bentancur who De Zerbi should be building his midfield around. Theres a reason, after all, that Spurs were happy to - briefly - entertain bids for Lucas Bergvall and willing to sanction Pape Sarrs Juventus switch. When it came to Bentancur, however, there was no chance hed be shown the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium exit.And with the welcome of a battling Everton side looming, De Zerbi needs to continue with Bentancur in a key position. The Toffees thrive in midfield duels and winning second balls, meaning Spurs have a battle on their hands against David Moyes men this weekend.Saturdays Forest stalemate proved that Bentancur is more than up for the challenge. It also showed just why De Zerbi will look to the experienced figurehead in the middle of the park in his first full campaign in the capital. Spurs are a far more cohesive unit when Bentancur starts. Despite the shiney new toys, hell start in midfield, and deservedly so.TOPICSRodrigo BentancurPierre-Emile HojbjergSandro TonaliTottenham HotspurUruguayPremier LeagueBen McAleerSocial Links NavigationBen is a freelance football expert with over 15 years of experience in the field, ranging from stats, to betting, to transfer analysis, to news, and everything in between. Having departed esteemed football stats website WhoScored.com in 2025, he has been touring the freelance circuit, and has been featured on The Guardian, The Independent, Sky Sports, The Premier League, TNT Sports, ESPN, Squawka and talkSPORT, among others.