Tottenham 1-0 Swansea: How The Key Battles Were Won

Etienne Capoue Dominating The Middle Of The Park

A defensive midfielder may not be the most glamorous of signings for a team to make, but Etienne Capoue could well turn the tie for Spurs on multiple occasions this season. The Frenchman's performance in Sunday's game is best described as simply "dominating". At 6 foot 2 inches, Capoue has the height to win headers from the opposition but it is work on the ground which is his best attribute. With his dogged enthusiasm, Capoue was latching onto loose balls and challenging the tricky Swansea midfield at any opportunity. The majority of his tackles were made successfully (six out of seven), he distributed the ball out to his team mates accurately and made the most recoveries of the ball throughout the game. With the strength of Paulinho and Dembele ahead of him in midfield, the centre of the park for Spurs could be one of their strongest positions this season.