Tottenham Hotspur are now seeing one of their biggest underperformers turning around his form over the last week.
It has been a turbulent past month or so for Tottenham in the Premier League with their recent form seeing their hopes of Champions League qualification fall short.
Ange Postecoglou‘s side were able to get back on track over the weekend with a victory over Burnley but then tasted defeat on Tuesday night against Manchester City.
Despite losing five times out of the last six games, there have been some promising signs over the last two games.
A number of players have been playing well below their level in recent months with the likes of Heung-min Son and Yves Bissouma struggling to find their best form of late.
The Mali midfielder has statistically been Tottenham’s biggest underperformer this season but he is yet to show an upturn in form.
But the player who ranked just behind him is now starting to get back on track just as the season comes to an end.
£40m Tottenham signing has struggled this year for form
After signing over the summer for a fee in the region of £40m from Leicester City, James Maddison started off the season in sensational fashion.
The England international picked up the Premier League’s Player of the Month award for August as he slotted in perfectly at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
After his first month or so in a Spurs shirt, the 27-year-old was showing the form that had him heading towards the label of signing of the summer.
However, Maddison’s downturn in form came after his ankle injury picked up in that game against Chelsea.
Since returning in January, Maddison has only returned one goal and three assists across his 16 Premier League appearances.
The midfielder’s form has recently seen Maddison dropped to the bench in the games against Chelsea and Liverpool.
However, there have been some promising signs of a return to his best form in the last two games against Burnley and City over recent days.
James Maddison starting to get back to his best at Tottenham
Making his return to the starting XI on the weekend against Burnley, there were indications that Maddison was playing with more freedom to his game.
Maddison ended the game against Burnley as the joint-highest rated Spurs player behind Pedro Porro on SofaScore.
- 88 minutes played
- 1 assist
- 88 touches
- 89% pass accuracy
- 3 key passes
- 2/2 long passes
- 2X was fouled
And the same can be said for his display in the game against City on the weekend as Maddison earned himself a 7.5 rating on SofaScore.
- 89 minutes played
- 76 touches
- 4 key passes
- 1/1 dribbles attempted
- 7/8 ground duels won
- 4X was fouled
Not only has Maddison looked more involved during the games, but there has also been more indication that the midfielder was capable of providing the final pass.
Although Spurs only need a point against the side rock bottom of the table on Sunday, it could be a good opportunity for Maddison to end the season on a high with a goal or assist.
What James Maddison has now said about his own form
It is a shame there is only one game remaining in Tottenham’s season – for Maddison’s sake – as the midfielder begins to rediscover his form.
He will be hoping his struggles after his injury have not cost him a spot in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the summer.
But the pre-season should only benefit Maddison who will have time to continue his adaptation to playing under Postecoglou.
After the game on Tuesday night, the 27-year-old spoke about his recent form on the back of his display against Burnley and City.
“I feel good. Last couple of games I feel good. I think it will do me the world of good that I played almost 90 minutes in both the last two games. I always want to improve, numbers, goals and assists and everything,” he told the club’s media.
