Dane Scarlett produced a performance on Sunday that showcased plenty of the potential that has Tottenham's coaching staff excited about his future as well as the elements of his game that the teenager will improve.
football.london kept a close eye on the 18-year-old, currently on loan at Portsmouth, as he started in the lunchtime kick-off at Wycombe Wanderers in League One. With Spurs not allowing Pompey to use Scarlett in the FA Cup so far this season, this was the first time in a couple of weeks to catch a glimpse of the high-rated teenager who won the European U19 Championships with England in the summer.
Here's what we picked up on before and during the match as well as our verdict on the young Spurs prospect's display.
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What was said before the match
Former Brentford and Wycombe midfielder Sam Saunders was one of Sky Sports' pundits before the match and said ahead of kick-off: "It's his first real loan and young players they go up and down. The good thing is he's gone out on this loan and he's getting lots of minutes so he's only going to improve on the back of that.
"We all saw what he did with England in the summer. He's a top player, a good talent and this loan will do him the world of good. He's got five goals and he plays most weeks so he must be doing other stuff, not just scoring. There's a real talent there and I'm looking forward to seeing him in the flesh."
What Scarlett did during the game
Portsmouth struggled to get going in the first half and that meant a lack of touches up front in a duo for Scarlett. He was flagged offside 18 minutes in after a run down the left and 10 minutes later was inches away from getting his head on to a cross from the left from former Spurs youngster Connor Ogilvie.
Just after the half hour mark Scarlett had a busy minute as he went on a surging run up the pitch, only to appear to be pulled to the floor as he turned to shield the ball. Moments later, Ronan Curtis played a one-two with him but Scarlett's return ball was just in front of the Republic of Ireland international in the Wycombe box, resulting in some frustrated words from the 26-year-old at his young team-mate.
With the visitors a goal down Portsmouth boss Danny Cowley made a couple of changes at the break, Curtis one of those to head off, but Scarlett remained for the second half and his performance improved along with the teams.
The teenager chased down Wycombe goalkeeper Max Stryjek's kick and blocked it with his back in the opening moments and soon after performed a well-executed touch and turn only to be outmuscled by a defender. He did the same soon after with a bright run that was only ended by a foul on him.
As Portsmouth chased a leveller as the game wore on, Scarlett drove forward on 73 minutes and fired a shot from outside the box which hit the chest of the keeper and moments later he set up Reeco Hackett for a similar chance with a well weighted pass.
With 10 minutes of normal time to go Scarlett showed excellent movement to get away from his defender and launch into a diving header which would have flown in had he sent it either side of Stryjek, but the teenager powered it straight into the goalkeeper's arms as he fell.
It was Wycombe who found the key next goal though and it was Scarlett's loose pass that began their attack. On 87 minutes he held the ball up well in the centre of the pitch, but he seemed to pick up a knock when turning and playing a lofted pass. That ball was cut out in the air and eventually a couple of phases of play later led to Garath McClearly firing home the hosts' second goal.
Scarlett seemed to shake off the knock despite limping in the aftermath but he and Portsmouth could not find a way through.
The verdict
This was a mixed display from Dane Scarlett that showcased why there's a lot of excitement about the 18-year-old within the game but also everything he needs to continue to work on.
So much of his football is beyond his years, in terms of his intelligent hold-up play and his movement off the ball and he's not flustered by the physical element of stepping into senior football in League One.
The teenager could have had a goal and an assist had some of his final touches just been that little bit better but those are the tweaks that will come with time. He works very hard off the ball and you can see the fitness built during the Conte regime coming in to play and allowing him to chase down the ball deep into the second half.
During a goalscoring performance the previous week against MK Dons, Cowley said that he had not seen such defending from the front in all his 15 years of coaching as he did from Scarlett that night.
There is still plenty for Scarlett, who only passed his driving test last month, to improve upon, including his strength on the ball and that decision-making in the final third, but there is an exciting platform to be built on.
Antonio Conte told football.london this year that Scarlett was improving rapidly and he could see a "brilliant future" ahead for him and that he was a "really important prospect" for the club and it's something Jose Mourinho also believed, tipping him to be a future England player at World Cups after he left the club.
In Cowley, Scarlett has a coach who works intensively with young players on and off the pitch, even getting involved in helping them adapt to life at their new club and making sure their living environment is right. He played his part in the rise of Arsenal player Emile Smith-Rowe during his loan spell at Huddersfield.
With Spurs not allowing Portsmouth to use Scarlett in the FA Cup, and the two teams meeting next month in the competition in which he can't face his own club, question marks have risen over whether the youngster, who has five goals and two assists to his name this season, will be recalled in January to head somewhere else.
That would be a big call though because in Portsmouth and Cowley Tottenham have a club and manager willing to devote minutes to helping a very talented young striker to improve and that could be to Conte and Spurs' gain before too long.
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