How Chadli can continue fine form and help Baggies beat former club Spurs
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How Chadli can continue fine form against Spurs
Nacer Chadli arrived at White Hart Lane in 2013 with plenty of promise and Tottenham had high expectations for the former FC Twente attacker, who they forked out a substantial £7m for.
Although, despite a bright start to life in London, scoring in League Cup and Europa League wins early on, Chadli’s Spurs career was eventually hampered by long-term injuries, a subsequent lack of form and a family tragedy which occurred as he was returning to full fitness.
Following an underwhelming three campaigns in the capital, West Bromwich Albion opted to offer a club record fee of £13m to end the Belgian’s Spurs nightmare, with Baggies boss Tony Pulis holding him in high regard.
Such a switch to The Hawthorns has already paid off, with Chadli reviving his stuttering career with dynamic attacking form in the West Midlands, and he is 14/5 with Coral to net anytime against his former employers this weekend.
Chadli has chance to gain redemption
In one of Saturday’s many 3pm kick-offs on matchweek eight, Chadli will look to gain some sort of redemption and showcase what former coach Mauricio Pochettino is missing out on when the Baggies welcome Spurs.
The now 27-year-old had been a vital component in Pulis’ Baggies side so far this term, as they currently sit in an encouraging ninth position, though they have been held back by a series of stalemates after three draws in their last five league outings.
Before the international break, Chadli produced a moment of magic to open proceedings against already relegation-threatened Sunderland, as he took a through-ball in his stride and clinically tucked home into the far right corner. The Baggies were ultimately held to a disappointing draw on Wearside though.
Chadli’s stand-out showing so far came on home soil against West Ham United. The Belgian ace proved to be the decisive factor as he impressively struck twice and assisted another two goals for Jose Salomon Rondon and James McClean in a 4-2 success.
Tottenham are flying high in second place at this early stage of the season but, with just a single fixture win over West Brom in their previous six meetings, Chadli and co could hinder the Londoners again and are 7/2 to prevail.
Promising Nacer Chadli goal odds
Chadli’s impressive performances for his new club didn’t go unnoticed outside of the West Midlands, as international boss Roberto Martinez thrust him into the recent 6-0 World Cup qualifying victory over minnows Gibraltar.
The Belgium forward will be blooming with confidence in a campaign which he has notched three in four Premier League appearances and he is 7/1 to open the scoring against Spurs at The Hawthorns.
During his days at White Hart Lane, the rejuvenated playmaker was regularly misused by Argentine Pochettino, but has relished being the main man under Pulis, repaying such trust with star showings domestically.
That faith has been compounded by the fact Pulis has utilised the club’s record signing in the crucial number 10 role in his last three outings, all of which West Brom have earned points from.
Pochettino wanted Chadli stay
Pochettino will need to be wary of the threat Chadli poses to his so far solid rearguard, and he added further fuel to the player’s potentially fiery reunion by claiming he did not want him to depart Spurs.
“It was all clear with him,” Pochettino said of Chadli, whose 35 appearances in his final season at Tottenham included 19 from the bench. “He asked me before the end of last season if he had the facility to go and play more for another team.
“I said to him ‘you are in my plans but if you want to leave and it’s the right club and the right price then ok, it’s not a problem’. In the end he chose to go to West Bromwich.”
With the Belgian’s scintillating form seeing him earn a recall to his national side, current club boss Pulis has become a huge admirer of not just his star man’s talent on the pitch, but drive and work ethic off of it.
“You’ve got to kick him off the training ground…”
“He hasn’t just impressed the supporters – it’s been the players as well with his attitude,” said the Baggies boss.
“And again, as a professional, he’s the last off the training ground. Every day I’ve been here with him, you’ve got to kick him off the training ground.”
Pulis will hope Chadli’s extra motivation for his latest outing against former employers Spurs will see him conjure up another match-winning performance, as West Brom look to halt the visiting Londoners’ run of five straight wins in all competitions.
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