Player Watch - Japhet Tanganga

[JKendall13]

Actually insane how much better he is than Foyth. Foyth’s been up with the first team for three seasons and every time he gets a game against some bottom team he looks like he’s just railed 3 grams of crank.

Tanganga makes his PL debut against the best team in Europe and he looks about as stressed as if he’s having a kick about with his mates in Hackney Marshes. Preternaturally calm, love that in a CB.

 

[Wsussexspur]

Have to wonder why on earth he wasn't given a chance earlier in the season

 

[Wsussexspur]

If ever there was an incident that typified Japhet Tanganga’s unflappability, it came in December before Spurs’ match at Bayern Munich. A brief encounter with chairman Daniel Levy saw most of the squad shuffle and fidget nervously, as one might expect when coming face to face with your boss. Not Tanganga though. Instead, despite being only 20 and one of the most junior members of the squad, Tanganga politely but assertively looked Levy in the eye and shook his hand.
For those who know the young centre-back, this sort of reaction made sense. He is not the most vocal, but it takes an awful lot to faze him.
Which leads to this evening, when Tanganga has been handed surely the ultimate test in world football right now: a league debut against runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool, and the seemingly unstoppable might of Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah, Saido Mane et al.
Up until now, Tanganga’s only senior appearance for Tottenham came in the EFL Cup tie at Colchester in September when Spurs lost on penalties to the League Two side after a 0-0 draw. What then can we expect from Tanganga this evening, as Jose Mourinho looks to improve a defence that has kept just one clean sheet in his 12 matches in charge? His selection will a surprise to many, especially as he wasn’t given game time in the FA Cup tie last week at Middlesbrough.
Speak to anyone who has seen Tanganga play, and one of the first things they will tell you is that he is a proper old-school defender, going against the grain of the modern ball-playing prototype. His England under-20 manager Keith Downing tells The Athletic: “He’s an out and out defender, a strong boy who likes those physical challenges. It’s rare that the modern-day defender likes defending, but he’s one of them. He likes to make clearances, get in the box, a bit more old-fashioned.”
In short, the kind of defender who Mourinho relishes working with. In fact in Mourinho’s very first training session at Tottenham, he singled Tanganga out for praise. “He marked Cristiano Ronaldo, make him known,” Mourinho said to his coaching staff during the session.
The comment was a reference to Tanganga’s impressive performance in a pre-season friendly against Juventus, when he had relished taking on Ronaldo in a 3-2 win. Tanganga was similarly effective against Eden Hazard in the 1-0 victory over Real Madrid in the Audi Cup nine days later. In both games Tanganga showcased his impressive spring, which sees him win more than his fair share of headers —including in the opposition box — despite being only a touch above 6ft.
It was also against Real — in a UEFA Youth League game that he scored in three years ago — that Tanganga went into a tackle with such force that the Spanish commentator involuntarily laughed at what he had just seen. The challenge was deemed to be fair but the willingness to go to ground is something Tanganga will have to watch in the Premier League. Likewise his tendency to sprint out of defence to try and nick the ball.
Where Tanganga is most effective is in one-one-one situations. There was a moment in the pre-season friendly against Manchester United last summer when Anthony Martial clearly fancied his chances against the rookie defender, only to be quickly sent backwards. Tanganga’s pace, which is surely one of the reasons he has been selected against Liverpool, is extremely useful in these situations.
And thankfully Tanganga is someone who relishes being given the chance to improve — particularly enjoying the chance to line up alongside Toby Alderweireld during those pre-season matches. According to one youth coach at Tottenham, where Tanganga has been since he was 10, he was not initially thought of as an outstanding prospect. It’s only been in the last few years that he has really kicked on, prompting Downing to describe him as: “one of these late developers. He appeared almost out of nowhere.”
Tanganga’s late surge towards the first team is as much down to his talent as his exemplary attitude. He is extremely mature for his age, and still lives with his family in Hackney, east London. His father in particular, originally from DR Congo where Tanganga has citizenship, is a close confidant. “He’s very mature,” says Downing. “He’s diligent, works at his game, is very focused and doesn’t ever look like he might get sidetracked. I think he’s sensible enough to release he’s still got a lot of work to do but he’s a smart boy.”
This intelligence is part of the reason why Mourinho and the club are keen to extend Tanganga’s contract, which expires at the end of the season. The player is anticipating sitting down with Mourinho to discuss his future in the coming weeks, with the original plan being to go out on loan in January. Last summer saw Championship clubs, as well as ones from Italy and Denmark, expressed an interest in Tanganga and there would be no shortage of takers this month.
Ever since being part of the England squad that won the under-20 Toulon tournament, Tanganga has been on the radar of club scouts. His performances in the pre-season Audi Cup for Spurs last summer, where he cooly stuck away a penalty in the final shoot-out against hosts Bayern Munich, further burnished his reputation.
Now the challenge for Tanganga is to finesse the looser parts of his game, like his distribution. Though his accurate ping out to the right to find Kyle Walker-Peters against Colchester suggests the raw materials are there.
And having been on the bench for Tottenham’s previous four matches, Tanganga is ready to seize his chance and justify what is comfortably Mourinho’s biggest gamble at Spurs so far.
For a clue on how Tanganga will approach the Liverpool game, it’s worth remembering what he said after helping the side to that win against Juventus: “Obviously you show them respect. But you don’t let them do what they want.”

 

[Klinsmannic]

He overcommitted for their goal, but will learn from it. Very encouraging performance. We have to play this back 3 from now on imo.

 

[Danny1]

Well done to the lad. Fantastic debut playing against the two best wingers in the league and not giving either of them a sniff.

 

[Strikeb4ck]

He's a beast. So glad he got the chance to show it today.

 

[Montalbano]

Very classy debut against the current best team in football. Was so calm and confident on the ball and not afraid to carry it downfield. Made a great goal line clearance and won several tackles and aerial duels. Unlucky to have overcommitted on Firmino for Liverpool's goal after the ball was pin-balled around in the box. Someone to get excited about.

 

[Jamturk]

He displayed an excellent mentality today.

This is what Foyth is missing.

 

[yankspurs]

Great defender. Great footballer. Immensely proud of him today. What a player we have on our hands. We need to lock him in to a new deal ASAP

 

[HildoSpur]

Did great

 

[gavspur]

It’s the desire and urgency we saw from him tonight that really impressed me. The desire to get things right, get passes to his team mates, make tackles, not be pushed off the ball.. sounds simple, but Eriksen and Rose need to take note, this kid made them look useless tonight. Fair play to him.

 

[Havre]

Looked very promising. Loved how he approached the game. Hope he continues playing like that - take no prisoner kind of style.

That said he was poor for the goal and he had a couple of situations where he didn´t really know where to go. Understandable though.

Should get more games.

 

[CarrickSpurgus]

Take a bow son !

 

[fuzzylogic]

Played well, very encouraging as it's the first I've seen of him. Tbh Firmino's turn was fantastic, most defenders would have been caught out by it

 

[Hawk_Spur]

Did well and was very promising. Needs more time.

Though life was easier for him today with our deep defending.

 

[allpaths]

It’s the desire and urgency we saw from him tonight that really impressed me. The desire to get things right, get passes to his team mates, make tackles, not be pushed off the ball.. sounds simple, but Eriksen and Rose need to take note, this kid made them look useless tonight. Fair play to him.

absolutely, it's why it's so important to integrate the right academy kid every once in a while. They lift the whole squads intensity.

 

[whitesocks]

The first thing Levy needs to do is sort his contract out.

 

[yankspurs]

Hope we announce a new contract for him tonight or tomorrow. We must sign him

 

[Woodham Wanderer]

Has a stormer today, in fact all the 3 cbs had a good games

 

[SE Spurs]

Thought he was superb for his debut, and up against some of the best in the world. Didn't look ruffled or too nervous, and showed a good temperament.