What will Keisuke Honda bring to Tottenham's midfield?
Keisuke Honda in action during the UEFA Champions League group stage match between PFC CSKA Moskva and FC Viktoria Plzen held on October 2, 2013 at the Stadion Petrovski, in St Petersburg, Russia. (Getty Images)
Reports emanating from Russia suggest that Tottenham have moved in to prime position in the race to sign CSKA Moscow midfielder Keisuke Honda. The Japanese midfielder is out of contract in December, and it is thought that Spurs have moved ahead of the likes of Liverpool and AC Milan in the battle for his signature.
Honda, a versatile performer who can perform from wide areas or as a second striker, would provide Tottenham with a direct pacey player, with a reputation for a fearsome left footed shot. A set piece specialist, Andre Villas-Boas will be hoping that the Japan international can help his side’s current problems in front of goal.
Spurs’ goals in the 2013/14 season so far – Top down view
Despite sitting in the top six, Tottenham have only managed to score six goals in their opening seven matches – 14th in the league. On the surface, the arrival of an attacking player such as Honda, appears to make sense for a side that are currently living off the back of a stringent defence.
However, Spurs already have a number of attacking midfield players, many of whom are relatively recent Villas-Boas signings. To get a game in the Spurs midfield, Honda would have to dislodge the likes of Gylfi Sigurdsson, Aaron Lennon, Andros Townsend, Lewis Holtby, and the trio of summer arrivals; Eric Lamela,Christian Eriksen and Nacer Chadli.
Spurs’ chance creation areas this season
In 11 league fixtures this season, Honda has made 22 key passes – creating an average of two chances per game. Of Tottenham’s midfield players, only Nacer Chadli has made more key passes each match.
However, Tottenham’s goal scoring problems aren’t a result of creating too few chances, but of not converting them. Tottenham have created the most chances of any side in the Premier League this season – 102 over seven games – but have only converted a modest 5% of them. With a midfield containing the likes of Eriksen and Lamela, signing Honda as a creative midfield player seems superfluous.
Despite this, Honda would provide a goal threat beyond his passing. He has the ability to play as a second striker, and has scored 20 goals in 87 games for CSKA. A left footer with a stinging shot, he could help to fill the void left by Gareth Bale. He has taken 16 shots for CSKA this season, with half of those on target. This is a stark contrast with Tottenham’s current left sided midfielder, Nacer Chadli, who has failed to register a shot on target this season.
Whilst Honda would provide Spurs with a top quality midfield player, the jury is out on whether they actually need him. With three summer signings still finding their feet, Tottenham’s problems are of chance conversion rather than creation. In order to get a place in the side, Honda would likely have to be deployed as a second striker – where the onus would be on him to improve upon the seven league goals he managed last year.
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