Leicester vs Tottenham: Five things we learned from VAR’s intervention to James Maddison’s pearler

There are few things on which Mauricio Pochettino prides himself more than defensive prowess. His playing career as a gnarly centre-half is enough to tell us that. But Tottenham haven’t looked terribly settled in that department this season. They surrendered a two-goal lead in midweek against Olympiacos, and now have just one clean sheet in their past six games after this 2-1 defeat by Leicester.

Today they showed little sign of improvement. Spur’s defence is largely comprised of players who weren’t settled in the summer: Toby Alderweireld looked a certified departure at one stage given his low asking price, Danny Rose has been linked with moves for two summers now, and Jan Vertonghen was mysteriously left out at the start of the season by Pochettino.

That trio aren’t getting any younger either. Could it be time for a changing of the guard in Tottenham’s defence in search of stability?

Just past the hour-mark of this game, Spurs had scored a goal, until they hadn’t. Serge Aurier’s strike was disallowed for offside in possibly the most pedantic VAR check we’ve seen so far this season. Moments later Spurs’ frustration would only grow.

Leicester’s right-back Ricardo Pereira was wheeling away just minutes later having scored an equaliser. Defensive frailties may have played a part, Jamie Vardy’s brilliant movement and assist helped, but was the VAR call moments before still lingering in Tottenham minds?

It can’t be understated just how psychologically compromising it must be to think you have a two-goal cushion, only to find out 60 seconds later that you don’t. VAR calls looks to be just as impacting on the psyche of players as a sudden red card, abrupt injury to a key player or a crowd-buoying tackle.

A sporadic feature of Tottenham’s sides for so long, Erik Lamela has overcome injury problems and limited opportunities to prove a valuable asset.

But even now the Argentine continues to reinvent himself. For the last couple of seasons he sacrificed any ambitions of being a talisman for Spurs, instead serving Pochettino as a nuisance to opponents, a physical, industrious entity whose task is simply to disrupt the other team’s flow and make space for teammates to capitalise on.

Today however, it was Lamela who expressed himself, and indeed, it is what he’s been doing since the start of the season. In the first half, Lamela filled the boots of Christian Eriksen at number 10 admirably, playing a key pass in the build up to the first goal and creating even more from that point onwards.

Fears going into the season surrounding Eriksen’s future left many worried Spurs would become dependent of Son Heung-min and Harry Kane. Lamela, if he continues in this vein, could become one of the surprise packages of the Premier League season.

For all Leicester’s superb business in the transfer market, losing Harry Maguire without bringing in a replacement could be the ceiling that blocks the Foxes from European football.

Kane’s goal was a work of art, but his breaching of the defence was only possible after he drifted past Caglar Soyuncu whose shove didn’t have the force needed to keep Kane away from goal.

The Turkish international has by no means looked out of place in Brendan Rodger’s side, but you feel a more physical defender – of Maguire’s mold- may be needed alongside him to provide the robustness required in the Premier League.

The first half saw two Englishmen star. James Maddison caused absolute havoc for Spur’s defence coming close twice in quick succession. Then up the other end, Harry Kane scored a goal that made no sense given that he more or less in the fetal position when struck the ball.

Imagine what would happen if the pair played for the same team? This is an image that apparently hasn’t entered Gareth Southgate’s mind just yet.

Maddison hasn’t made a senior appearance for England just yet. It’s a mystery as to why, the former Norwich midfielder was beating Lionel Messi and Eden Hazard for chances created at one stage last season. Today he was the decisive player with a sublime finish.

There’s few players on Earth who benefit more from chance creation than Harry Kane. This may be a simplistic formula, but Maddison and Kane proved today that they are two of England’s most talented players, and would surely benefit from each other on international duty. Go on Gareth, give Maddison a go.