The model that seeks functions

Tottenham wasn't a star last season in England in terms of consistency or title contention, although it did manage to win the Europa League. That achievement, while significant, wasn't enough to offset an erratic run in the league and some inconsistencies in team performance. While others caught fire sportingly or dominated the scene with big-money signings, something more structural began to take shape in North London. The reconstruction didn't have the brilliance of a revolution, but it did have the direction of a project.

With the arrival of new management in the sporting department, the club began to work with a different approach to scouting and recruiting. It's not about adding names to alleviate emergencies or seeking replacements based on symbolic hierarchy. The focus shifted to the type of roles the player can play within the model. Who can fulfill certain roles, sustain certain behaviors, execute certain decisions. That's where the player's incorporation comes in.

This explains several of the profiles recently recruited or signed: Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, Hugo Larsson, Ardon Jashari, among others. There is no one-size-fits-all position or age. Instead, there are patterns in their play. They all have a good relationship with the ball in pressing situations, understand the moments to accelerate and sustain, and display a natural disposition for back-and-forth play. These are not short-term signings. They are bets on how the system can evolve if players with these characteristics are incorporated.

The scouting structure is organized into departments that cross-reference information and provide feedback. Data doesn't replace observation, but rather guides it. We work with an analysis model that integrates event metrics, heat maps, collective sequences, biomechanical analysis, and effort load. Each player is observed not only individually, but also within the systems in which they operate. Where do they touch the ball most? How long do they hold onto it? What decisions do they make when they don't have it? How do they modify their game when changing contexts? The answers to these questions aren't derived from isolated statistics; they are built from layers of interpretation.

Video work is another key focus. Specific actions are dissected to understand the process behind the result. An interception isn't just about cutting off a pass, but rather how the play is read, from which angle it is anticipated, and what consequences it generates. Tottenham prioritizes this type of microanalysis. And this means that the validation of a profile isn't based on accumulation, but rather on adjustment. The focus isn't on what the player did a lot, but rather on what he did best within the role he's projected for.

This perspective makes sense when analyzing Postecoglou's game. His Tottenham team tries to build from a clean opening, attracting to release, and posting to damage. To achieve this, certain roles become structural in his model. The double pivot, for example, needs to interpret heights, activate interior circuits, and correct transitions. In this role, Bentancur has been key due to his ability to break lines with passes or dribbling, combined with his ability to read the lines to position himself as a free receiver.

Full-backs aren't just wingers: they're organizers from the flanks. Pedro Porro assumed that role naturally, knowing when to project forward, but also when to secure from deeper areas. On the other hand, Udogie offered aggressive runs with progressive improvement in his defensive performance. Wingers must maintain width but be ready to enter finishing zones. Kulusevski, on the right, provided that mix of control and depth; while on the left, players like Son maintained a constant threat to open space and score.

All of this requires players who think and execute quickly, who make decisions without losing a sense of community. Scouting works on these functional needs, looking for players who already express compatible behaviors, even if they come from different backgrounds or at lower levels. It's not about replicating names, but rather ensuring that these roles can be maintained, even if the performers change.

For example, under high pressure, the key is to progress from the low pass or the dribble; not to waste time. A center back who can divide meaningfully is more valuable than one who simply clears. In the midfield, the midfielders need to be able to set up and release at third man. In transition, every recovery must be transformed into a threat. It's not just about running: it's about running with direction. That's why players are brought in who already demonstrate these traits in their home leagues, even if they don't shine statistically.

The tactical understanding of each player is key. What type of passes they attempt. Where they recover. How they react after losing a ball. Their timing when moving without the ball. Every piece of information helps to create a more accurate picture of their profile. In the case of Archie Gray, for example, it's not just his ability to play as an inside midfielder or full-back, but also how he regulates his efforts, interprets coverage, and maintains his connection to the center of play. The same goes for Larsson and Jashari: discerning midfielders, aggressive without the ball, reliable in sustaining long sequences.

Furthermore, the analytics department has begun to intervene in the early detection of performance trends. Through longitudinal monitoring of the players observed, evolution curves are projected that allow us to estimate not only a profile's ceiling, but also its most suitable entry point into the team.

This "functional maturity point" refers to the specific moment at which a player is ready, not only physically but also in terms of tactical understanding, game intensity, and ability to adapt to the demands of the model. It's not a fixed or generalizable point: it depends as much on the player's career as on the system that will host him.

To calculate it, variables such as age, playing time history, previous competitive environment, consistent performance, responses under pressure, and the evolution of technical patterns in different contexts are analyzed. The analysis includes breakthrough moments (changes of club, coach, position) and how the player responded to each of them. The goal is not to predict the future, but to minimize the margin of uncertainty at the time of signing.

This logic displaces the traditional idea of "signing based on the present" and replaces it with a logic of "signing based on the current projection": understanding not only what the player is, but under what conditions he can be better. Of course, it's not infallible. Projections are always built on changing contexts, and factors such as injuries, personal adaptation, or tactical transformations of the team can alter the scenario. But the important thing isn't to eliminate error, but to reduce it through better-founded decisions.

This ability to anticipate also allows them to operate with greater advantage in the market. While other clubs wait for a player to explode before pursuing him, Tottenham has already segmented, analyzed, and projected him. This doesn't eliminate the margin of error, but it does reduce it. And above all, it shortens the time for tactical integration, since the playing style and profile are designed together.

The dilemma arises when an important figure leaves. The risk of falling into the temptation of "looking for another equal" is always present. But Tottenham seems to want to focus on something else: not replacing names, but rather functionalities. If a full-back who is progressing in leadership is leaving, it's not necessarily necessary to bring in a renowned full-back, but rather someone who can fill those spaces and generate those advantages. If a goalscoring striker is lost, it's not enough to bring in another with good numbers: you have to find someone who can fulfill that role within the system.

This approach also challenges the market, because it means sacrificing immediate impact for structural coherence. The case of Harry Kane is illustrative: not looking for "another goalscorer," but reconfiguring the attacking game with more involvement from the attacking midfielders, greater mobility from the wingers, and alternatives from the second line. These are decisions that aren't always understood on the outside, but they aim to sustain a game plan.

It all leads to a fundamental question: do we bring in players to make the name stand out or to make the game work? Tottenham poses this discussion with facts. And it leaves an open question for reflection: Are we ready to stop looking for "another Kane" and start asking ourselves what tasks he performed and who can perform them best today? The shift in perspective is simple in appearance, but profound in its consequences. It plays out in the area of scouting, but it impacts the entire decision-making structure of a club. And, perhaps, the very way we understand what it means to build a team.

Calvin Dannwolf