SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 01: Nacer Chadli of West Bromwich Albion celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 0-1 during the Premier League match between Sunderland and West Bromwich Albion at Stadium of Light on October 1, 2016 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Adam Fradgley - AMA/WBA FC via Getty Images)
Tottenham were still right to sell Nacer Chadli to West Brom
Tottenham shouldn’t have any seller’s remorse
Nacer Chadli’s hot start for West Brom has some Tottenham fans questioning Spurs’ sale of the Belgian attacker. Rest assured, no one at White Hart Lane is having any seller’s remorse.
Chadli’s production for West Brom is a simple product of a player finding the right club for his style of play. The slow-footed midfielder was a poor fit for the way Spurs play under Mauricio Pochettino. Nothing about his play under Tony Pulis has done anything to change that fact.
A closer look at Chadli’s play since arriving at West Brom shows that he’s exactly the player Tottenham believed him to be. He has scored an impressive three goals and added two assists in just four Premier League appearances since the transfer. That’s earned him a good, but not great, Whoscored.com player rating average of 7.33 on the young season.
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Given that sort of productivity, it’s easy to see why some Tottenham fans might think the club should have held on to him. After all, what club wouldn’t benefit from a player who can score with such regularity? Spurs have always known Chadli was a capable finisher, their qualms were always about the lack of quality in other parts of his game.
In particular, his lack of defensive work rate always made him a difficult player for Pochettino to trust. Giving a simple glance at his player page on Whoscored.com also list two very interesting weaknesses in Chadli’s game: tackling and defensive contribution.
His lack of effort in those departments is exactly what cost him playing time for Spurs. Pochettino demands maximum effort and running from his midfielders at all times. Chadli just wasn’t willing (or able) to put in that kind of performance on a regular basis. That’s why the club were willing to sell him this summer.
West Brom, on the other hand, play a much slower brand of football. Pulis preaches defense, but he doesn’t have the same expectations that Pochettino does for his attacking players. Pulis is quite happy to let his defenders defend, and his attackers attack.
That’s why Chadli can flourish with the Baggies. He only needs to worry about his finishing ability to be a valuable player. Their system allows him to specialize in a way that suits his game perfectly.
Full credit to Nacer Chadli for finding a club where he can be successful. He was never going to thrive at Tottenham under Pochettino. It’s a clear case where a transfer benefitted both Tottenham and the outgoing player.
