Ange Postecoglou has stood by his “assessment” of Timo Werner’s performance in Tottenham’s 1-1 Europa League draw at Rangers, and insisted he has no time for “bruised egos” with his team in turmoil.
Injury-hit Spurs were able to fight back through Dejan Kulusevski’s 75th-minute leveller to leave Ibrox with a point, but Postecoglou insisted after Thursday’s game that the display of Werner, who was replaced at half-time, “wasn’t acceptable”.
Speaking on Friday, the Tottenham manager insisted his verdict on the German forward “wasn’t criticism. It was [an] assessment,” and admitted Werner will be required for the trip to Southampton on Sunday with nine players unavailable.
“With Timo it wasn’t about whether he played well or not. It was a difficult game last night,” said the Australian. “I’m asking 18-year-olds to do some massive jobs and you want senior players – and he’s a senior player, he’s an international and he’s won the Champions League – there’s a level of application and performance you need to rise to to help the team. He didn’t reach that.”
“Me taking him off at half-time was a statement enough. The same way I won’t be hiding behind poor team performances, the same with and no different for the players or anyone else,” Postecoglou added. “It wasn’t criticism, it was just an assessment of his performance and on a really challenging night for us, it needs to be better.
“We’re in a fight here, collectively we’re in a fight. I’m not going to go around worrying about people’s bruised egos. This football club, we want to achieve things and be successful. We’re down to the bare bones in players. If there’s somebody in the dressing room who’s fit, able to contribute but who feels he needs something extra in this moment, he’s probably not the right type.”
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Liverpool’s Slot wants more from misfiring Núñez
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Arne Slot has defended the contribution Darwin Núñez makes to Liverpool but accepted the striker’s standards fell below the required level this week. Núñez cut a frustrated figure after missing a couple of chances in the Champions League win at Girona and Slot admitted he kept him on for an extended period as he wanted him to get a goal for his confidence.
‘[Darwin] is not only judged on the goals he scores, he is also judged on the team performance and he adds something as well with his work rate and how much he does winning the ball back high up the pitch,’ said Slot, who has won the Premier League manager of the month award for November.
‘Ideally he would have scored a few goals more. Maybe in a few weeks you will ask me [why] Mo is not scoring any more and Darwin is scoring one goal after another. It is the life of a No 9, sometimes you score, sometimes you don’t. But what should always be there is work rate.’
‘I think that is what he has, apart from two games: [a pre-season friendly] against Las Palmas and the last half-hour against Girona wasn’t of the standard he should have,’ Slot concluded. ‘That had a lot to do with him being disappointed at missing a few chances.’ PA Media
Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur started at Rangers, but will both serve suspensions at St Mary’s to increase the number of Tottenham absentees. Defenders Ben Davies, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven are all unavailable, as are attackers Richarlison and Wilson Odobert, with keeper Guglielmo Vicario out long-term.
We have 15 fit players and in some positions we’ve only got two players,” continued Postecoglou, I’m not going to go around trying to get extra out of people. If they’re not able to give extra now, it gives me an indication of where they’re at.”
“We are in a fight, we’ve got a limited number of players to call upon and we’ve got some big games that can set up our season. We just need people to have that level of commitment and application to find our way through. As much as I am talking about Timo, I am talking about the whole group and all of us right now.”
Arteta relaxed about Edu replacement
Mikel Arteta has insisted Arsenal’s search for a new sporting director will have no impact on their transfer business and claimed Edu’s permanent successor could come from inside the club.
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Jason Ayto – who has been at Arsenal for a decade, first as a scout, before working his way up the ladder to become Edu’s right-hand man – has assumed the post on an interim basis. But Dan Ashworth’s shock exit from Manchester United has seen him linked with a move to north London with the January transfer window coming up.
Speaking before Saturday’s match against Everton at the Emirates, Arteta was asked if not having a permanent sporting director in place could pose a problem for the club’s transfer dealings. “We have one,” he replied. “Jason Ayto is our interim sporting director. He has got the full capacity and support of the football club right now. He is doing really well with his team. The process is open, as you know. And the club, with the support of all of us, will decide who is the best person to move us forward.”
“I never expect January to be super busy, but we have to wait and see where we are,” added the Arsenal manager. “There might be some opportunities, too. Hopefully the availability of the squad will be better in a few weeks. We have to wait and see.”
Asked if he would like the situation resolved before the end of the season, Arteta replied: “Yes, but when we are convinced that we have the right person … someone who is going to take us to the next level. I’m not running the process, so it’s more for the club to respond.”
Defenders Riccardo Calafiori, Ben White, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu are all currently sidelined, while centre-back Gabriel is set to return on Saturday. Teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly is likely to keep his place at left-back after impressing against Monaco in the Champions League.
