Journalist Rob Guest is elated over Spurs injury news after confirmation on Oliver Skipp and Ryan Sessegnon.
Both promising youngsters were starting to cement their places in Spurs’ first team before injuries derailed their progression and the team’s good run of form under new boss Antonio Conte, which saw them only lose twice in their first 12 games under the Italian manager in all competitions.
Skipp has been the longer absentee of the two, with his last game coming in a 2-0 defeat to Chelsea in January. The 18 million rated midfielder’s pelvic problem has kept him out of the squad after becoming a promising midfielder for Conte, having made 28 appearances across all competitions prior to the injury. His exclusion from the first team has been noticeable with Spurs losing three of their next four games, including back-to-back home losses to Southampton and Wolves, 2-3 and 0-2 respectively.
Sessegnon sustained a disappointing hamstring injury during Spurs’ utter 5-0 humiliation of Everton at the start of March after a run of five starts in the first team as he seemingly cemented himself as the first-choice left wing-back over Sergio Reguilon. Fans will certainly be thrilled with the return of the two 21-year-olds, and it could not have come at a better time.
Writing for football.london Guest stated, “Conte has confirmed that Tottenham duo Oliver Skipp and Ryan Sessegnon will return to training next week. The news comes as a big boost for the Lilywhites as they look to pip rivals Arsenal to the final Champions League place.”
Great news.https://t.co/TeWpF6DONG
— Rob Guest (@RobGuesty) April 1, 2022
TIF thoughts on the return of Skipp and Sessegnon…
The return of both players to the first team is a huge boost for Spurs in the race for the fourth spot in the Premier League and Champions League football.
Skipp has excelled in the heart of the midfield both on and off the ball. According to Whoscored, he boasts an impressive 1.8 tackles and 0.7 interceptions per game, while averaging 46.9 passes on 90% accuracy and 1.1 long balls per game, essential when playing with dynamic attackers like Son Heung-min, Dejan Kulusevski, and of course, Harry Kane.
His return to play alongside either Pierre-Emile Højbjerg or January signing Rodrigo Bentancur will give Conte a good problem in regards to who to start as all have impressed since his arrival.
Sessegnon’s return from injury could not have come at a better time. Reguilon’s fitness has been called into question after the Spaniard left training early during the week, leaving right wing-backs Matt Doherty and Emerson Royal in contention to start out of position. The 21-year-old has impressed during his recent stint, averaging 1.3 tackles and 1.2 clearances per game, while also claiming an assist in just seven appearances this season, a number that should rise with more consistent game time.
Things are looking up for Spur’s injury concerns as the season comes to a climax, giving them a real shot at Champions League football when not long ago it seemed out of reach. The run-in of the season should be an exciting one for the North London outfit.