The conventional PFA Player of the Year nomination list is one of exclusivity for the players who have shown heroic goal-scoring exploits, masterful creativity and admirable midfield displays, so it is always a tall order for any defender to manage to find himself featured on the list, regardless of any brilliance. Despite accepting Toby Alderweireld was unlucky not to be nominated, Pochettino was as ever-accurate when claiming ‘his performances have been fantastic this from the beginning of the season and he doesn’t need to be recognised to feel that’. The boss is of course completely right in saying this, as many a Spurs fan has been astounded by Alderweireld’s levels throughout this campaign, to the extent that he is probably the most deserving of our own Player of the Year award. Considering the equally-appreciated efforts of Kane, Alli and Dier, maybe this statement could invoke some to think differently, but he would certainly get my vote.

To begin with, I was actually quite surprised that we had been able to acquire the Belgian’s services in the first place; the obvious reason behind this being the strong wave of rumours that emerged surrounding an apparent ‘deal’ that Southampton had with parent club Atletico Madrid to turn Alderweireld’s loan deal into a permanent one. However, a deeper justification of my lack of expectation is the fact that over his career, he has established the pedigree of a respectable European centre-back within his game. Granted, he had not moulded a profile to the level of a Gerard Pique or Thiago Silva, but his time at both Ajax and Atletico has meant he was regarded across the continent for possessing quality, prompting links with Arsenal and Chelsea in the past (if these links were genuine, then Toby has certainly made the right decision not to join them). Focusing on Atletico in particular, he was at the club at the time of their achievements as La Liga title winners and Champions League runners-up, and would have surely become a regular fixture in their defence had it not been for the imperiously consistent back four that had already been established prior to his arrival. Therefore, I was somewhat confounded to see no stronger bid become manifest from one the quintessential bigger sides in England, and us end up being able to complete what has turned out to be a master-stroke of a deal for Alderweireld. Perhaps the fact of the matter was that these such clubs did not feel a new centre-back was a summer window necessity, such as Man United, or possibly wanted to spend larger than Alderweireld’s reported £11.5m fee and get what they clearly perceived to be more value for money, a la Man City with the purchase of Otamendi.

Either way, non of those sides bought Alderweireld and Spurs did- something we’ve certainly come to relish as the season has gone on.

From a tactical standing, Alderweireld has added so much to aid the way we have progressed as a playing system. Not only has he fulfilled the benefits many expected to be brought about from his already-manufactured relationship with Vertonghen, but he has almost immediately built impressive synergies with all the other players around him. Despite not playing a massively deep defensive line, Tottenham’s back four maintain a level of local compactness vertically in order to receive the ball from Lloris and begin build-up from the defensive line, a common preference of Pochettino’s style (it should be noted that when Lloris does pass out to the full-backs, very rarely do they stay in possession for long, often passing almost immediately to the centre-backs, regardless of any high central pressing from the opposition). To build up from the back successfully, a high standard of movement and positioning is required from players higher up the pitch, especially the midfield pivot, but it is still the job of Alderweireld and Vertonghen (credit should also go to Wimmer who has deputised very well in Jan’s absence) to to find them. Both of these players have the confidence take on opposition attackers and then pass, and the ability to play balls to team-mates straight away. Personally, I feel there is not much between Alderweireld and Vertonghen in terms of short-range passing, but it is Alderweireld’s long-passing range which sets him apart. He has created nine chances and has seven key passes to his name; impressive for defender it could be said. Most of the time, his high floated balls are impeccable and on a personal level at least, very aesthetically pleasing. They enable us to bypass lines of opposition pressing and create chances in advanced positions. The example that springs to mind most is his pristine pass to Alli for the equalising goal away at Everton earlier this campaign. What a goal that was.

In phases of defensive transition and out of possession, Alderweireld has been just as good. Our usual full-backs Walker and Rose can utilise their offensive orientations without having to worry about how the centre-backs will cope should a sudden turnover of possession occur. This is of course because of Dier’s withdrawal from defensive midfield into the backline to add an extra defender, sometimes coming so deep that a chain-of-three is created alongside Alderweireld and Vertonghen. However, the other operative reason is due to the ability of the centre-backs, particularly noticeable in Alderweireld, to obtain opposition attackers and stop them in their tracks. Many a time, he has been seen combining his mobility and tackling aptitude to prise possession away from the onrushing attacker. Very rarely do we see Alderweireld make a dramatic last-ditch sliding tackle, and this is because he has the capabilities to prevent his duels from escalating to this extremity of defending. Especially when in the transitional phase, our defence is sometimes exploited out wide as Walker may be further up the pitch and out of basic position. Alderweireld has the speed and alertness to spread defensive play wider and use the aforementioned approach when trying to win back possession. Also, for whatever reason, sometimes the opposition will inevitably be more successful when trying to access the space in behind the defence, and the backline as a result retreats deeper. Despite this, Alderweireld can still be relied on. Occupying the central areas of the penalty area, he repeatedly makes pivotal defensive actions, having made 53 interceptions and 262 clearances this season. Probably most commendably, the defender has made no defensive errors all season, laying evidence to his resplendent reputation that is growing larger every week.

Like more or less all of the Spurs players this season, Alderweireld has shown an overwhelmingly strong mentality. He’s developed a prowess for our big games this season by adding to his superb defensive displays with invaluable goals in our must-win games, such as his left-footed smash to put us on level terms in the North London Derby and the inspired header to put us 2-1 up against City back in September. Headed goals have accounted for three quarters of his league tally this season, putting one each past West Ham and most recently United in our five-minute blitz of them last week. His seniority on the pitch has made his age of 27 seem relatively young, regularly performing with the experienced head of a fully-seasoned centre-back. Although I think our days as a ‘selling club’ are finally in the past, it is beyond vital that we keep hold of Alderweireld; he has still got a very minimum of five years left at the top of his game. In my opinion, he could potentially become an all-time great for the club and rub shoulders with the likes of Mabbutt and King (He is definitely our best defender of the Premier League era, apart from those two of course).

When laid bare, our defence has been simply amazing this season, a statement that will undoubtedly meet most Spurs fans with a staggering sense of unfamiliarity. Considering that we let in 53 goals in the 2014/15 campaign (shamefully put into context by the fact that thirteen clubs had less goals conceded, including relegated Hull), this next statistic, which all fans alike will be aware of, is truly something I never thought I would see turn out to be a reality at the start of this season: Tottenham have conceded the least amount of goals out of any Premier League team. This of course has coincided with the arrival of the outstanding Toby Alderweireld. Coincidence? I think not.