Dominic Solanke: The Perfect Fit for Tottenham Hotspur Under Postecoglou

It's been a year since Harry Kane left Tottenham Hotspur for Bayern Munich. A year later, the Spurs revealed a new signing, a player who lit up the 2023–24 season with 19 goals for Bournemouth AFC, a bottom-half team. So, everyone's wondering if he's a player on par with Harry Kane. 

Nope. It's merely that the player fulfills the requirements of Ange Postecoglu's setup. He's the ideal candidate for the role, and we'll see how well he meets the criteria for a striker at Tottenham Hotspur. 

Efficiency in the penalty box

We discussed his 19 goals, but what's notable is that 17 of them came from within the penalty area. It suggests he is constantly present and ready to seize an opportunity. He isn't concerned about getting involved in the buildup play by dropping down the pitch. It is highlighted by his numbers playing for the previous clubs. In Liverpool, he averaged 46.4 touches per 90 minutes, 32.9 in his first few years at Bournemouth, and 29.0 in his final season there. At the same time, his touches inside the box increased from 16% to 20%. 

Tend to the Crosses 

Tottenham Hotspur finished fifth in the most crosses attempted (710) during the 2023–24 season but dropped to 13th in penalty crosses completed. This was largely due to the fact that players such as Heung-min and Richarlison were not available in the final third since they frequently wandered to other areas of the pitch. However, at Bournemouth, Solanke was frequently spotted lurking around the box, keeping out of the build-up play and allowing the midfielders to run into the final third if necessary. Not surprisingly, Bournemouth completed 88 of their 709 crosses. 

High Press with Intent

Spurs topped the statistics in terms of pressures in the final third (2935) and turnovers caused by such pressure (591). So clearly, Postecoglou wants a player who is not afraid to press the opposition. And here is where Solanke comes in. Solanke is statistically the best player at applying pressure up the pitch, having led the stats last season. 

Ability to hold and score

Finally, Solankes' ability to hold the ball in tight spaces with his back to the net makes him doubly dangerous because it allows wingers to enter the game more. He can also score in tight spaces, as he demonstrated last year. If Solanke can score 19 Premier League goals again, Tottenham will be aiming for a top-four finish.

Dominic Solanke may not have Harry Kane's skill set, but he is going to join a team that believes in the system and has a coach that appreciates his player's skills.

Our verdict: Solanke will thrive under Ange Postecoglu.