“Wrong Signing, Always disappoints”- imagine having Less touches than Forster, lost ball 14 times, Spurs star has totally failed Ange Ich after 2/10 stinker
Tottenham Hotspur narrowly escaped a shocking upset against Coventry City in the Carabao Cup, pulling off a late win in dramatic fashion. Heading into the match, Ange Postecoglou was undoubtedly feeling the pressure after a disappointing loss in the North London derby. The weight of expectations was heavy on his shoulders, and his side’s lackluster performance in recent matches only added to the tension.
Despite their struggles, Tottenham managed to advance to the next round by the slimmest of margins. Brennan Johnson’s late goal was enough to seal a hard-fought 2-1 victory, but the match was far from convincing. Though Spurs controlled the lion’s share of possession and dominated large portions of the game, Coventry City posed a real threat on the counter-attack, exposing some of the same defensive frailties that have plagued Tottenham throughout the season.
On the bright side, young talents Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray offered glimmers of hope with their promising performances. Both players demonstrated maturity beyond their years and provided a much-needed spark in midfield. However, the sight of Wilson Odobert limping off the pitch with an injury cast a shadow over the proceedings. His absence could prove costly for Tottenham in the weeks to come, especially with the fixture list becoming more congested.
One player whose performance will be scrutinized heavily is Timo Werner, whose night was nothing short of disastrous. The German striker, who returned to Spurs on loan this summer, has struggled to make an impact since rejoining the club. His form has been underwhelming, and last night’s showing against Coventry only fueled concerns about the wisdom of bringing him back to North London.
Werner, who has clocked just 38 minutes of Premier League action this season without any goals or assists, was handed a rare start. Unfortunately, he failed to capitalize on the opportunity. His 74 minutes on the field were riddled with errors, including losing possession 14 times and failing to complete a single cross or dribble. His involvement in duels was equally poor, winning just one of five challenges. To put it in perspective, goalkeeper Fraser Forster had more touches (57) than Werner (47), a glaring statistic for an outfield player.
The German’s uninspiring display was a significant talking point after the game. Even pundits like Andy Townsend have expressed disbelief at Postecoglou’s decision to bring Werner back to Tottenham, questioning whether he fits the style of play the Australian coach is trying to implement.
Football London’s Alasdair Gold didn’t hold back in his assessment of Werner’s performance, awarding him a dismal 2/10 in his player ratings. Gold noted that while Werner made one decent sliding block in his own box, his contributions in attack were virtually non-existent. “Going forward, though, he was dreadful and offered nothing,” Gold wrote. He also remarked that Werner’s second-half injury likely wouldn’t have been noticed had Spurs continued with 10 men.
While Tottenham fans will be relieved to see their team progress in the Carabao Cup, the performance leaves much to be desired. Postecoglou will be hoping for swift improvements, particularly from underperforming players like Werner, as Spurs look to challenge on multiple fronts this season. With key players potentially sidelined by injury and questions swirling about squad depth, it’s clear that Tottenham’s campaign will hinge on how they handle these challenges moving forward.