Tottenham Hotspur are back in Premier League action again tonight, with fans likely still pinching themselves over their start to the new campaign.
However, they will have to contend without Yves Bissouma for tonight's clash with Fulham, who will be serving his one-match suspension.
How good is Yves Bissouma?
Having been deservedly booked for his first challenge, the Mali international would go on a weaving run just before the half time whistle, bundling into a crowd of opposition players.
Anticipating contact that never came, he threw himself over and was handed his second yellow, sent for an early bath before the break.
Whilst his side would still go on to win, his importance to Ange Postecoglou's outfit cannot be understated, with the 27-year-old enforcer having made himself near-irreplaceable with his form thus far.
A true defensive warrior, having maintained 3.3 tackles and 6.1 ball recoveries per game in the league thus far, it is his ability in possession that makes him so useful, as a press-resistant metronome who keeps everything ticking in the engine room.
As such, his 91% pass accuracy will be tough to substitute, even if it is for just one match.
Who could replace Yves Bissouma?
Whilst the Australian tactician could seek to tweak his system, or trial other stars in that role, perhaps he may be safer by opting for the wisest option, and instead starting Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg as a like-for-like alternative.
Although the £100k-per-week ace is not quite as mobile as Bissouma, he remains a sturdy figure more than capable of dictating a game on his own. After all, much of his Spurs career has seen him thrive without a partner of his level, with journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke writing: "Playing central midfield for Tottenham head coach Antonio Conte is not easy.
"You are outnumbered the whole time, trying to hold the side together as half of a pair, generally coming up against teams who have one extra body in the middle of the pitch. The first thing that this means is that you have to be ready to run. Just watching Hojbjerg and Bentancur get around the pitch can be tiring, as the two men try to get through the physical work of three."
So, with form of filling gaps, already the 28-year-old is ready to thrive,
Not to mention that just last season saw the Denmark international shine amidst all the turmoil, maintaining a 90% pass accuracy of his own whilst making 1.3 interceptions, 2.2 tackles and 1.4 clearances per game, via Sofascore.
He is a true warrior, and his time on the sidelines will have likely done little to damage his hunger to succeed. After all, journalist Manuel Domínguez attested that he was a "competitive animal" just last year.
Although perhaps sluggish at times, in a game where they are expected to dominate, his passing attributes under pressure will likely not be called upon too much. The Cottagers could fall into the trap of affording Hojbjerg time on the ball, which could see him thrive in Bissouma's absence, potentially reigniting his Spurs career in the process.