Lineker and Richards both agree ‘extraordinary’ Tottenham star needs to be playing in different position
Gary Lineker and Micah Richards have both shared their belief that Mathys Tel would be far more effective playing on the left wing rather than as a central striker, after the young French forward endured a frustrating afternoon during Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa.
Tel, who was tasked with leading the line by head coach Thomas Frank, struggled to impose himself as the focal point of the Spurs attack. Despite being given the nod in a central role, he failed to register a single shot on goal and managed only five accurate passes throughout the encounter. The tactical experiment appeared to misfire, as Tottenham’s attack lacked fluency and penetration for much of the contest.
Speaking after the game, Gary Lineker — on The Rest is Football podcast — suggested that the 19-year-old forward looked uncomfortable in the position, adding that he did not display the instincts of a natural striker capable of exploiting the spaces behind Aston Villa’s high defensive line.
> “I actually prefer him on the left-hand side when I’ve seen him play there,” Lineker explained. “He wasn’t making those typical striker runs or showing the kind of awareness needed to beat the offside trap. When a team like Villa plays such a high line without pressing the ball, a centre-forward should be making the most of that.”
Micah Richards agreed with Lineker’s assessment, saying he also believes Tel is more suited to operating from the left flank, where he can utilize his pace, dribbling, and ability to cut inside on his stronger right foot.
> “Yeah, exactly that,” Richards replied. “I echo your thoughts. I like him much better off the left — that’s where he looks most dangerous.”
Sunday’s match marked Tel’s third Premier League start for Tottenham, all of which have come as a central striker. The Frenchman scored his first goal of the campaign in the 2-1 win over Leeds United before the international break, which seemed to give him a confidence boost. However, his latest outing against Aston Villa highlighted once again that he may still be adapting to the physical and tactical demands of leading the line in English football.
Tottenham were without their first-choice striker Dominic Solanke, who remains sidelined with an injury sustained in August’s 2-0 win at Manchester City. In Solanke’s absence, Thomas Frank has been forced to experiment with his attacking setup. Richarlison replaced Tel in the final half-hour on Sunday, while Randal Kolo Muani made his return from injury, giving Spurs more depth up front heading into their next fixtures.
Tel’s journey in North London has been one of promise mixed with inconsistency. The ‘extraordinary’ young forward arrived from Bayern Munich in February, initially on loan, before making the move permanent for £30 million during the summer transfer window. Despite flashes of brilliance, he has so far managed only four goals in 28 appearances across all competitions — a modest return for a player once regarded as one of Europe’s brightest attacking prospects.
Tottenham’s ongoing injury problems in attack have also not helped his integration. Alongside Solanke, Dejan Kulusevski remains unavailable after undergoing knee surgery on his patella just before last season’s Europa League final. His absence has robbed Spurs of creativity and balance in the final third, further complicating Frank’s tactical decisions.
With Solanke and Kulusevski still recovering, and the attack lacking fluidity, both Lineker and Richards believe it might be time for Frank to deploy Tel in his more natural wide role, where his pace, directness, and ability to stretch defenses could add a new dimension to Tottenham’s forward play.
If the Frenchman can rediscover his rhythm from the left-hand side — the position in which he first caught the eye at Bayern — he could yet become a decisive figure for Spurs in the months ahead.