The devil makes work for idle minds and over the course of this international break a thought has been growing in me. Its started life as a rant, a result of Liverpool’s midfield stifling our static limp wristed attempts to get back in the game. Then slowly it developed. We lacked energy, we lacked penetration, we desperately needed someone bursting beyond Emmanuel Adebayor and making a nuisance of themselves. We lacked a Paulinho.

The former Corinthians midfielder arrived at Spurs with a flamboyant fanfare. It was reported that he was the Brazilian Frank Lampard, given that I wasn’t the biggest admirer of the English version I was concerned, however, I let this go.

The early signs from Paulinho were promising. He was voted the third best player at the Confederations Cup in 2013 and showed a good understanding with Roberto Soldado in a preseason friendly at White Hart Lane, it seemed Paulinho had carried over his form.

Those halcyon days of summer 2013 were a glorious time, the Brazilian had turned down Inter Milan and had chosen the lilywhite over the Real Madrid blanco. The fact that he had opted for us over them didn’t set the alarm bell ringing, it was something to be proud of.

A breath taking 30 minute spell against Stoke City reminded us of the player we once had, only for Charlie Adam to stamp out that light

As the new season approached, everyone including you, admit it, thought we had stolen a march on the universe. We chuckled at Man City for spending nearly £10 mill more on the less capped Fernandinho. It was glorious when Bernard opted for Shakhtar Donetsk over Arsenal and even losing out on Willian to Chelsea didn’t matter. “Sit down Mourinho, we’ve got Paulinho.”

The season didn’t start too bad either. He looked dangerous against Crystal Palace in our first Premier League fixture and was duly awarded Man of the Match accolade. This was accompanied by strong performances in Europe and then capped off beautifully with a back heeled last minute winner away to Cardiff from an Erik Lamela assist.

Paulinho who had been named in the Bola de Ouro Team of the Year in 2012, had scored a winner from a Lamela assist. Let that sink in. Remember that moment? The players piling on top of each other, Jan Vertonghen wincing in pain, Lewis Holtby thumping his chest. Lamela and Paulinho uniting to score us a winner. Football, what a gigantic pulsating glob of illogical hope and false dawns. We were being trolled on a grand scale as slowly the world around Paulinho unravelled.

His touch left him, he started to pass to anyone who wasn’t wearing white, he became less penetrative and suddenly we noticed that he run with a hunchback. he earned a ridiculous red card against Liverpool at White Hart Lane and we finally started to look at each other and question: What does he do?

Then just as the question was formed, he was back. A breath taking 30 minute spell against Stoke City reminded us of the player we once had, only for Charlie Adam to stamp out that light. Paulinho never recovered, or never wanted to recover. The injury had reminded him that his place at the World Cup in Brazil was a misjudgment, or reckless moment away. He lost interest in us and his appetite for the game.

If harnessed correctly Paulinho is like a musket in a gun fight, loud and crass but unpredictably violent and occasionally lethal

Now over a year later what is left? What Paulinho do we have? Can he offer anything? Is he mentally able to reinvigorate himself after the “Maracanazo” of 2014?

I think what we have to realise is that Paulinho has limitations. He isn’t the central midfielder we thougth he was and in all honesty he isn’t as good as he was made out to be, but there is a role for him. If harnessed correctly Paulinho is like a musket in a gun fight, loud and crass but unpredictably violent and occasionally lethal.

Rewind back to that sunny afternoon at White Hart Lane before the international coma. Liverpool have four across the back with Steven Gerrard positioned just in front of his defence. They are solid, they are compact, they aren’t being turned, everything is in front of them.

Erik Lamela, Christian Eriksen and to a slightly lesser extent Nacer Chadli all love the ball to feet. They like to pick a pass, have a dribble or a shot. Their instinct is to create beauty, what they don’t have is the head down desire to burst into the box. It’s not a skill, it’s a mental thing, Paulinho runs. He runs into the box, he creates chaos. It isn’t controlled, it can’t be tamed, but it can be harnessed, it can be pointed at an organised back five and released.

Against teams with men behind the ball, what you need is someone or something to turn their heads, make them think of something else. You need a player who offers something out of the norm. On this weeks pod Carl Donnelly called Paulinho a smoke grenade, this is exactly what he is. We have all come to the understanding that Paulinho isn’t a Socrates or even a Gilberto Silva, but what he does have is a desire to score and a natural desire to arrive in the box and score a goal. He has the direction and the willingness to break ranks and run forward, he attacks the penalty area, something totally unnatural in Lamela, Eriksen, Chadli and even Emmanuel Adebayor.

Occasionally football is defined by those that just do and don’t over think

Paulinho isn’t the player we wanted him to be, but we should still appreciate what we have, he remains, if used correctly, an effective footballer. I wouldn’t dream of playing him in a role where he is required to use technique or any other football function that requires brain power, but in a role where he relies on instinct, he can make the difference.

In last summers Maracanazo where Germany pillaged Brazil in front of their own fans, Paulinho entered at halftime and performed better than most of his teammates. With the whole team brain-dead and relying on instinct, he caused the German back four enough of a headache, that had they not possessed a 4-0 advantage, may have worried them.

Last season despite disappointing for large parts he still managed to score 6 goals, some of which were game changers. Would I start him in my first choice Spurs XI? Perhaps not, but to rule him out as a waste of space is naive.

The Brazilian is a midfielder with a natural energy, exuberance and desire to make runs into the box. I know “he runs forward” isn’t a line lifted straight from Inverting the Pyramid, or something you would jot down in your tactical notepad, but occasionally football is defined by those that just do and don’t over think. Paulinho gets in the box, he causes chaos, but most importantly he scores and he will inadvertently create space for those that do think, and may benefit from seeing a previously closed of avenue of attack.

Before we deposit him in the “complete waste of space/get rid ” category perhaps Pochettino should give the Paulinho “Smoke Grenande/Run forward and create chaos” tactic a chance.