Spurs midfielder is not fully fit but will be on the bench at Molineux as his manager tries anything to lift his relegation-haunted players
I
t was quite the admission from Roberto De Zerbi as he prepared for Saturday’s game at Wolves, which has the feel of a must-win for Tottenham in their increasingly traumatic battle against relegation. The manager reported that James Maddison was “not available yet” as he goes through the final stages of his rehabilitation from the anterior cruciate ligament rupture that has wrecked his season. The midfielder “felt pain” during the week, De Zerbi added, albeit it was not a major problem. So, there has to be no room for him in the matchday squad, then? Well, actually …
“He will come with us on the bench because he is important,” De Zerbi said. “If he plays or not, it doesn’t matter. It’s better if he plays, for sure, but, as a guy, as a leader, he is positive. Inside of my dressing room I want to see nice people, positive people, and this is important also for his teammates.”
De Zerbi pulled the same move last Saturday when he named Maddison among the substitutes for the 2-2 home draw against Brighton, even though he knew the player had no chance of getting on. Maddison did not even come out to warm up. But here was De Zerbi publicly confirming Maddison as a vibes man for the challenge that lay immediately ahead; a kind of spirit animal.
