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da poker： This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Erik Lamela turned in a truly appalling performance as Tottenham Hotspur lost to Newcastle United in the Premier League on Sunday.
On the chalkboard
The Argentine started the season like a house on fire, forcing Jack Grealish’s mistake that led to Spurs’ winning goal against Aston Villa and then scoring one and laying on an assist against Manchester City.
But, when faced with Steve Bruce’s side and their low block, Lamela wilted.
He had 49 touches of the ball, per WhoScored, but had just one shot on goal, along with just one successful dribble. He was dispossessed twice and was fouled twice, too, and this was a classic example of his frustrating attributes.
Indeed, Lamela tends to be something of an ad-hoc footballer, one who decides what he’s going to do just as he gets the ball and while it can bamboozle defenders, it can do the same to his team-mates.
Against Newcastle, he had next to no impact in the final third.
Bring Eriksen in
Christian Eriksen was on the bench against Newcastle, just as he was against Aston Villa, but the time has to come to bring him back into the fold.
Lamela is a terrific bench player, one capable of disrupting defences after his introduction as a substitute.
But starting him, particularly against a team like Newcastle, is always going to be a mistake, given that they sit so deep. He needs space in which to work.
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With a game against Arsenal looming, bringing Eriksen into the fold is a no-braineer, particularly at Lamela’s expense.
It would add a layer of creativity to their starting XI, and ensure that they are not left with a man down in midfield.
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