Great Expectations – Danny Rose

Danny Rose’s prospects looked bleak at the start of the 2014/15 Premier League season. Much to the delight of Tottenham’s fan base, Swansea left-back Ben Davies arrived midway through the summer transfer window, with the logical assumption that he would usurp his underwhelming counterpart in due course. That didn’t transpire, however, and – aside from a brief spell in the second quarter of the campaign – Davies was restricted to bench duty.

Under the tutelage of Mauricio Pochettino – who’s culturing a reputation for transforming young full-backs into accomplished defenders – Rose began to display greater positional discipline while offering an ever-present outlet on the wings. Although he never developed into a Fantasy favourite due to Tottenham’s obliging back line, an improvement on that front next term would greatly enchance Rose’s standing.

Key Factors

• Notwithstanding Tottenham’s awful defensive record last season (they conceded the third-most goals of any league side and registered just nine clean sheets), Rose posted the highest Fantasy score (103) of his career. Having never tallied more than a solitary goal in a season before, the former Leeds academy product chalked up three last term – a haul that was only bettered by four other defenders. Furthermore, his minutes per goal average (829) ranked seventh among those defenders that clocked up more than 1000 minutes. In terms of his creative output, Rose’s assist tally (five) was only bested by Leighton Baines (nine), Daryl Janmaat (eight) and Branislav Ivanovic (six), illustrating his evolution as a Fantasy asset under Pochettino.

• The fact that Rose directly contributed to eight goals last season offers promise that the previously maligned left-back can develop into a top pick in his price bracket. A paucity of shut-outs (six) and bonus points (ten) ultimately limited his overall output, which is subsequently expected to keep him around the 5.0 mark when the player price lists are rolled out. Considering that West Bromwich Albion and Southampton’s prime defenders could be in line for a price rise off the back of their strong seasons, Rose could offer a great alternative to those second-tier gems.

• The Lilywhites closed out the 2014/15 campaign with back-to-back clean sheets – the first time they’d achieved that feat since Gameweeks 1-2. This display of defensive resolve began just two days after Pochettino spoke of his mission to tighten up Tottenham’s rearguard and improve the balance of the side. The Argentinian boss led Saints to 14 shut-outs in his one and only season at St Mary’s Stadium, suggesting he’s well versed in the principles that underpin a solid defence. Handed the luxury of a full transfer window to recruit players that suit his high-pressure system, there’s hope he can batten down the hatches at White Hart Lane and improve the prospects of Spurs’ defensive starters, with the acquisition of Kieran Trippier and Kevin Wimmer and possible arrival of Toby Alderweireld a sign that Spurs may be a decent prospect next time out.

• Pochettino’s favoured 4-2-3-1 set-up relies upon pacy, hard-working full-backs to provide the width in the absence of traditional wingers – a challenge that Rose appears to have accepted with aplomb. Both the eye test and Rose’s underlying statistics reveal that he’s been granted greater license to maraud down the left flank in 2014/15; his minutes per shot improved from 132.3 to 103.7, while his minutes per chance created also stepped up from 124 to 92.2 under Pochettino. Moreover, the Doncaster-born left-back ranked eighth for defenders in terms of total shots (24) and tenth with regard to key passes (27), demonstrating his potential for attacking returns.

• Having seen off the challenge of Ben Davies in the second half of last term, Rose claims a strong grip on Tottenham’s left-back berth. His dramatic upturn in form has reportedly courted interest from Premier League giants Manchester City and Chelsea, while Pochettino’s praise certainly suggests that Rose has his backing for the campaign ahead:

“Danny has been the best English left-back this season. I look at the stats and other players in his position. I also look at his performances, which have been great. But that’s my opinion. The final decision will be Roy Hodgson’s. The experience with Luke Shaw last season was fantastic. But now he’s in another context and at another club. You have to realise that players change every year. Every year is different as things happen in our lives. I am not his manager and it is difficult to speak about players at other clubs. I can only explain my experience with him. It is important to give opportunities to young players if they have talent. We provide them with training and push them. After that it’s up to the player. All players all need to feel confidence from the staff, players and supporters.”