Lilywhite Lab
banner
lilywhitelab.bsky.social
Lilywhite Lab
@lilywhitelab.bsky.social
The hub for all Spurs analysis 🧪
He’s a very specific player who should never be the first name on the team sheet but has value. Goals win games after all.
February 26, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Furthermore teams know they can leave their full-back 1v1 with him because he won’t beat them and therefore makes it easier to mark our central players.
February 26, 2025 at 11:13 PM
On the other hand, when things are a bit out of sync, confidence is low and we’re struggling to break through teams, Brennan is a real passenger. He struggles to retain the ball, he can’t combine welll and he consistently fails to beat his full back.
February 26, 2025 at 11:13 PM
When the team is flying, combinations look fluid, rotations are quick, adding him to this is like the cherry on top. His ability to time runs, and get away from his marker mean that a lot of our moves will have the finishing touch. In other words when we’re flying he’s a legitimate asset.
February 26, 2025 at 11:13 PM
He hasn’t done anything outrageously bad but has been pretty ineffective
February 26, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Tel is most devastating when he can face up his defender and create separation for shots

I think it’s pretty embarrassing that fans are turning on a 19 year old kid, who’s moved to a new country and has barely played minutes all season and is now chucked in
February 26, 2025 at 11:11 PM
In my eyes, we need to get him in areas where he can be facing the opposition backline, whether that means wide left, or letting him stretch the last line with one of the 8s positioning higher to receive in the higher pockets
February 26, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Bear in mind that’s him after a really serious injury too… once he’s in his rhythm I strongly believe every single one of you will be sold on him, I’ve watched enough of him to confidently say that.
February 26, 2025 at 11:10 PM
People can argue whether he’s at the quality we need because he hasn’t proved much in a Spurs shirt, and he came from Burnley or whatever (FWIW I think he quite clearly is good enough) What you can’t argue is his profile is something we’ve been screaming out for for 2 years now.
February 26, 2025 at 11:10 PM
Furthermore, Odobert offers serious 1v1 threat which means opposition will be reluctant to leave him isolated with his full back. So… he’ll draw opposition players towards him to support their full-back, what does that do? It opens up space for players in the box or arriving onto the edge of the box
February 26, 2025 at 11:10 PM
Compare him to Johnson, or even Son, you can’t trust them to retain the ball under pressure. Their touches are inconsistent, bobbly, get stuck under their feet. It doesn’t ever relieve pressure and forces turnovers.
February 26, 2025 at 11:10 PM
Part of the reason we concede so many transitions is because our attackers have struggled to stay on the ball.
February 26, 2025 at 11:10 PM
However every single touch he takes, is secure, out his feet, refined. Play the ball into him and he’ll kill it with ease, even under immense pressure. It’s brilliant security to have a player in the front line who won’t lose the ball.
February 26, 2025 at 11:10 PM
So you can’t press him… but then stand off him and watch him cut through space at a rapid rate, long strides and excellent acceleration means he can glide through the thirds and get us up the pitch at a rapid rate.

Really unique player.
February 25, 2025 at 12:11 PM
But if those players aren’t available to combine with straight away… no bother, he doesn’t panic. He’ll wriggle out of pressure with ease and never give the ball away.
February 25, 2025 at 12:11 PM
February 6, 2025 at 12:20 PM
February 6, 2025 at 12:20 PM