Tottenham Hotspur will be hopeful that the November international break will have calmed the storm after the tremendous opening to the 2023/24 campaign took a big hit following an injury- and suspension-fuelled slump.
Ange Postecoglou had worked wonders in transforming the Lilywhites after arriving in the summer and instilling his vision, and with eight victories and two draws from the opening ten matches of the campaign, it's hard to dispute that his appointment was nothing less than a success.
But a calamitous evening against Chelsea resulted in a maiden Premier League loss for the craggy-faced Australian, whose charisma and candidness have married well with the tactical aptitude that has charged the club's budding resurgence.
But his brazen high line came unstuck after two dismissals against the Blues, with the woes compounded by injuries to Micky van de Ven and James Maddison – the influential summer signings are both sidelined until the new year.
With multiple absences, Postecoglou might be inclined to dip into Tottenham's impressive youth pool, and while the likes of Jamie Donley and Alfie Dorrington are the most salient prospects at present – both on the bench during the defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out – Leo Black will enter first-team contention before he knows it if he maintains his current level of performance.
Leo Black's youth statistics
The 17-year-old is not as advanced in his development as certain other members of Stuart Lewis' development squad, but he is probably one of the most talented, with a fruitful career lingering ahead.
Classified as a midfielder by Spurs' official player profile, Black has actually been plying his trade down the right channel as a full-back this season, and he has taken his opportunity superlatively, posting three goals and five assists from nine matches in the U18 Premier League.
The Hackney-born ace only played seven times in the league last season and was featured across central midfield and left wing roles, and while his youthful years precluded the possibility of regular inclusion, the dramatic upgrade to an unwavering starting berth since the summer is likely thanks to the positional tweak.
Tottenham secured the wonderkid's signature on a two-year scholarship deal in 2022, and he has since made all the right moves toward reaching a position of promise on the cusp of the senior set-up.
Leo Black could be Pedro Porro's understudy
It will be years before Black cements a spot in Postecoglou's first team; even if he continues to exceed expectations, it's unlikely that he will be granted a senior debut for a year or two.
But that's okay, with Pedro Porro really growing into his skin at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after initially struggling after his transfer from Sporting Lisbon last January on an initial loan with an obligation to buy for £39m – activated in the summer.
The two-cap Spaniard is fashioning an exciting career on English shores and has been one of Spurs' standout performers this season, having been hailed for his "dangerous" displays this term by stats-led journalist Statman Dave.
The £85k-per-week ace, aged 24, has now started 11 successive matches in the Premier League after being benched for the opener against Brentford.
Statistic
Per 90
Percentile
Goals
0.13
Top 10%
Assists
0.21
Top 12%
Shot-creating actions
2.92
Top 14%
Tackles
2.71
Top 12%
Blocks
2.26
Top 1%
*Stats applicable over past 12 months, as per FBref
Porro's all-action approach is evident when examining the even spread of his craft. Like butter on bread, he suffuses the pitch with his quality and must be viewed as the paradigm to follow in Postecoglou's system for hopefuls such as Black, who, it must be said, looks like he'd slot right in.
Spurs expert Jon Wenham is among the attentive observers to have been impressed by Black's rise, speaking effusively of the starlet's rise and development in the primitive stage of his journey.
He said: “Leo Black looks so comfortable coming into that midfield role, he grabbed another fantastic assist during the most recent win against Norwich and when I watch him play, he reminds me of Tariq Lamptey when he was coming through, in terms of his size and diminutive ability on the ball."
This interchangeability, a sort of natural dynamism, will set Black in great stead for an ascent through the ranks, and given that he is a centre-midfielder converted into a wide role, he could even emerge as Tottenham's very own Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Tottenham's own Alexander-Arnold
While Black has a long way to go before reaching the standard that would be demanded at professional level, his innate offensive ability bespeaks a technical prowess that will serve him well over the coming phase of his growth.
It's an attacking instinct that allowed Alexander-Arnold to waltz into Liverpool's first-team under Jurgen Klopp, with his ball-playing talent and creative ingenuity contributing to the knowledge that the Reds were journeying toward silver-laden success.
Indeed, a staple of the Anfield side's rise, the 25-year-old has now plundered 16 goals and 75 assists across just 287 appearances from full-back, even dubbed "world-class" by Barcelona legend Dani Alves.
Of course, Alexander-Arnold wasn't always a full-back; indeed, recently the £180k-per-week star has been at the centre of a tactical alteration that sees him drift into the engine room with his side in possession, influencing play from a kind of hybrid midfield role, something that, by the player's own admission, complements his skills.
Such a positional change is not out of the blue; the England international was converted into a wide role from midfield at 17-years-old.
It just goes to show that sometimes making the leap to uncharted waters can be the making of an aspiring player, especially as they seek a route to prominence, and Black would do well to settle into his right-back role.
Generally, there are fewer full-backs pushing for a place at senior level than central midfielders, and given that Black has clinched eight direct goal contributions from just nine matches in the U18 Premier League, this very first season gaining regular match action, following this pathway would be prudent.
There's a long way to go, but Black is ensconced in a fruitful position within one of England's most exciting youth systems, and there's every chance that the cogs will combine to establish this talented dynamo as a major player in the years to come.
