Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou is known to vigorously defend his players and Friday’s press conference was no different.
While Brennan Johnson has gone from suffering abuse on social media in the wake of the defeat at home to Arsenal, to going on a remarkable run of scoring five goals in his last five matches; Timo Werner has become the latest player in the spotlight.
Heung-min Son’s hamstring injury has seen Postecoglou replace the Spurs captain with Werner on the left-hand side of his attack.
The German international had two good opportunities to score in the 3-0 win against Manchester United, including a one-on-one opportunity with Andre Onana which he failed to convert.
Werner struggled again in front of goal in Tottenham’s 2-1 victory over Ferencvaros in the Europa League on Thursday, when he missed another one-on-one chance which proved to be his last action in the match before being replaced.
Postecoglou told Football.London: “It was 14 days ago those questions were asked of Brennan [Johnson]. It’s where we’re at in this world. We just think he’s missed two chances so he’s hopeless. No, he’s not hopeless. All footballers at this level are very, very good footballers.
“If you write a bad article, it doesn’t mean you’re hopeless. You go ‘actually I could have done better there but I’ll write the next one [better]’.
“Actually, last night Timo, in his first action, took on the winger and put in a brilliant cross for Will [Lankshear] and Will didn’t quite get on the end of it. If that goes in, he’s had a great assist. He gets a one-on-one, if he scores that, if in the last two games he gets a couple of goals, then we’d be having a different conversation, but that’s the fine lines.
“In terms of his general play, I think his last two games have been really good for us. He’s been taking on his players, getting in the right areas. Yes, goals help, we’ve seen that with Brennan, for those kind of positions, but that doesn’t mean he’s not a good player and that’s where I get really annoyed when they put everything on that moment to say he’s not a good player. Of course he’s a good player. He’s a fantastic player.
“Scoring goals would help him, would help us, yes, but we’ll persevere with him because I still think he’s contributing to the team. As with Brennan, 14 days ago I was sitting here answering questions about Dom Solanke and Brennan. Now we’re talking about him in the England team and Brennan’s scoring, so it’s that fine balance.
“I think [Timo’s] performances in the last two games have been better for us in terms of doing his role as a winger in our team. Yes, a goal would be great for him but not for me to say I expect more from him in that position.”
It is clear to see that Timo Werner lacks a huge amount of confidence in himself when he is given a goalscoring opportunity, the German is doing the right things to get himself the opportunities but simply looks clueless at the moment in putting the ball in the back of the net.
Ange Postecoglou now has a decision to make for Sunday’s Premier League match at Brighton and Hove Albion in whether he decides to persevere with Werner, or give Mikey Moore his first league start after he caught the eye against Ferencvaros.
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