Has fatigue been Paulinho's problem?

Player Assessment: Paulinho



Continuing to look at our players from last season using Premier League statistics brings us to Paulinho, the last of the three defensive midfield players with the additional bob-to-box responsibility.

Paulinho


Singed from Brazilian side Corinthians in 2013 as part of the 'Summer Seven' he has been a big disappointment. His exploits for Brazil prior to joining us and Corinthians had him tracked by Chelsea among others. I seem to recall at the time of his signing that he was told Gareth Bale would be staying but Bale went on strike effectively to force his dream move to Real Madrid. I just wonder if that has affected him.

There is a good player within him but alarm bells started to ring when he said he couldn't be bothered to learn English. That tells me he lacks the ruthless edge all top sportsmen and women have. In sport you need a single-minded determination to achieve your goal. If that is to succeed in a new team, in a new country, you do everything within your control to make sure that happens, I can't be bothered, is not a part of that equation.

No doubt he arrived with all good intentions and his early performances were encouraging, he was getting into the box in the Frank Lampard manner he was compared to, but his finishing was poor. He suffered an injury in a Charlie Adams tackle and that was the last we saw of a decent player. Since then he appeared to hide, save himself for the World Cup and only put effort in when he was given a couple of outings at the end of the season.

It is down to a player to demonstrate on the training ground that he deserves a place in the team rather than wait for a charitable handout and then try to show it. Etienne Capoue was outspoken when he found he wasn't guaranteed a place, is Paulinho going through the motions for the same reason?

I thought at the beginning of the season he would need a rest, he had played a Brazilian season, then the Confederations Cup, then a season at Spurs, then the World Cup. His performances when he started in the UEFA Europa League last season were appalling, no matter what position he was tried in, defensive midfield, wide midfield or the number 10 role behind Harry Kane. Was he suffering from fatigue, the body can only take so much?

Tim Sherwood is believed to have been referring to Paulinho when he said; "I know the players I can trust and those I can't". He fits the Spurs system, he's played in it before so there are no excuses there, it appears to be down to his mentality.

A new club and a fresh start will perhaps see him return to the player we bought, certainly two managers deciding they want to sell him shows he has no future at Spurs without acquiring a burning desire to succeed.

Premier League Only

Paulinho
Played: 15
Minutes: 304
Total Passes: 347
Pass Completion:85.01%
Forward Passes: 57.06%
Key Passes: 3
Key Pass Time: 1 every 101.33 minutes
Chances Created: 4
Chance Creation Time: 1 every 76 minutes
Shots: 7
Shit Time: 1 every 43.43 minutes
Shot Accuracy: 29%
Goals: 0
Assists: 1
Positive Attacking Action: 1 every 20.27 minutes
(Total Minutes divided by Shots, Goals, Assists, Key passes, Chances Created combined)
Tackles: 33
Tackles Won: 46.48%
Blocks: 0
Interceptions: 12
Clearances: 5
Take On Success: 62.50%
Header Success: 60%
Defensive Action: 1 every 17.88 minutes
(Total Minutes divided by Blocks, Clearances, Interceptions)