Tottenham Hotspur are a side on a seemingly unstoppable road to success thus far, with Ange Postecoglou their triumphant leader set to lead them back to where they will feel they belong.
His role in turning things around in north London has been nothing short of miraculous, given how devastating last season's failure under Antonio Conte proved to be.
Dejan Kulusevski, who was actually signed by the Italian coach, spoke frankly over the summer regarding just how damaging a year it proved to be: "The months during the World Cup were really bad, I must say, it was really, really bad.
“We trained so hard but there was no energy, it was dark and we were in London. We drove and we drove and really thought we would be prepared when the season started again, but the joy wasn’t there, the desire to play wasn’t there, the energy… everything was down."
So, with the affable Australian now at the helm, there already seems to be a newfound positivity surrounding the club, with almost everyone benefitting from his presence.
However, it could be argued that few have seen such a sharp upturn in form more than Cristian Romero, who has seemingly evolved overnight from a reckless livewire at the back into a reliable stalwart with which their immense new philosophy is built from the foundation he provides.
How good is Cristian Romero?
Having joined from Atalanta, again under Conte's leadership, the £42m expended instantly put a huge weight on his shoulders.
It was expected that the 25-year-old would prove to be an instant hit in N17, as a rock-solid stalwart set to underpin the staunch, often defence-first mindset employed by the coach that had just led them back into the Champions League.
And whilst he did largely impress, there were moments of foolishness that seemingly characterised his play style, with former Spurs boss Tim Sherwood outlining one example back in May: "Ollie Watkins goes and gets a straight ball off the midfield player, and Romero just comes through him.
“There’s absolutely no reason why he should. He’s a liability, this guy. I think he has got a lot of qualities, but he keeps making these rash challenges all over the pitch, and he has done it again today. It looks like he has cost them."
However, being promoted to part of Postecoglou's leadership group has seemingly done wonders for his confidence and composure, with the former Celtic man having lauded the contribution of his defensive ace: "I will tell you what, I wouldn’t like to play against him [Romero].
Most of the boys don’t like to train against him. He’s a real competitor and I love that about him. Whether it’s training or a game, what you see is what you get with Romero.”
Such a notion shows up in the data, with his 7.43 average rating for the current Premier League term a reward for his fine form, further buoyed by a 92% pass accuracy alongside 2.4 tackles, 3.3 clearances and 5.7 ball recoveries per game, via Sofascore.
Why does Cristian Romero need an heir?
Whilst the Argentina international has been ever-present for the Lilywhites this season, and thus it might be questioned why someone so young would even need an heir, it must be remembered that there is always scope for things to go disastrously wrong.
After all, although the centre-back is seemingly far calmer, that does not completely rule out moments of head loss that could see him dismissed and banned for subsequent matches. Postecoglou must account for this.
Not to mention that injury woes have already plagued the World Cup winner on several occasions since his 2021 move, with six different ailments reportedly sustained whilst with the club having seen him miss at least 33 games.
However, arguably the biggest reason for requiring an heir is merely to keep him engaged, ensuring that the £165k-per-week colossus remains focused and playing his best football, with the knowledge that an ample stand-in is waiting to take his spot.
1
Richarlison (Everton)
2
Cristian Romero (Atalanta)
3
Yves Bissouma (Brighton and Hove Albion)
4
Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus)
5
Destiny Udogie (Udinese)
All stats via Transfermarkt
Although they might have to wait until next year to boast such a perfect replacement, Joe Rodon is slowly gaining vital experience on loan with Leeds United, and could return to north London with a serious point to prove should he maintain his current form.
How good is Joe Rodon?
"Joe [Rodon] belongs to our last row, he had to be there with many clearances, was an aerial threat, even with a little cut under his eyebrow, he was willing to go [on], so he showed warrior mentality," noted Daniel Farke after his side's conclusive 3-0 win over Millwall just last month.
A glowing recommendation for one of two Spurs loanees he tempted over the summer, already it has become clear that the Welshman in particular could play a key role in any promotion aspirations they hold.
After all, his knowledge of the Championship is already phenomenal, but then with recent experience with Rennes in Ligue 1, and with Wales at the international level, it should come as no surprise to already see the 25-year-old dominate.
His 90% pass accuracy is admirable, which this season has been paired with 1.4 interceptions and 2.9 clearances per game, via Sofascore. Clearly boasting a similar adeptness with the ball at his feet, whilst retaining his defensive steel, the similarities with Romero are there to be seen.
Not only this, but his quality possession was further outlined by journalist Paul Abbandonato, who branded him a "Rolls Royce" when previewing the bright future of Welsh football back in 2020.
With his humble beginnings likely not to have produced an inflated ego, but with a clear desire to reach the top that his move from Swansea to the Lilywhites showcased, it is clear that Postecoglou has seemingly inherited the perfect backup for his first-choice centre-back, who is set to boast more than enough quality for such a role, but without upsetting squad harmony should his play time be limited.
Whilst Romero and Micky van de Ven are set to dominate at the back for the foreseeable future, there is no harm in bringing Rodon back into the fold next term, ready to challenge them both for a starting spot and offer much-needed healthy competition without having to break the bank.
