Tottenham lost 2-1 at Leicester City on Tuesday night.
Chelsea’s Victor Moses (L) vies with Tottenham Hotspur midfielders Victor Wanyama and Mousa Dembele
Pundit Danny Murphy has told BBC Radio Five Live that he thinks Tottenham Hotspur are missing the midfield partnership of Mousa Dembele and Victor Wanyama.
Spurs travelled to take on Leicester City on Tuesday night, and were looking for a response having only managed to draw 1-1 at home with West Bromwich Albion on Saturday afternoon.
However, Mauricio Pochettino’s men fell flat once again, and found themselves 2-0 down at half time after a lob from Jamie Vardy and a wondergoal from Riyad Mahrez.
Christian Eriksen of Tottenham Hotspur
The introduction of returning Erik Lamela sparked something of a fightback, with Harry Kane bagging a goal, but Christian Eriksen and Fernando Llorente both squandered golden chances, and Spurs were left with a 2-1 defeat.
It’s now just one point in three Premier League games since the international break, and a win for Manchester City over Southampton tonight would leave Spurs 16 points adrift at the top of the table.
Many are trying to pinpoint just what is going wrong for Spurs right now, and pundit Danny Murphy believes he has the answer, telling BBC Radio Five Live that he thinks his former club are missing Mousa Dembele and Victor Wanyama in midfield.
Murphy believes that Spurs barely being able to use them together – with Wanyama injured since August and Dembele struggling for fitness – has contributed to a lack of stability, and is also affecting Dele Alli’s form.
Murphy also called on others to step up and take some of the pressure off striker Harry Kane, but scoffed at the idea of playmaker Christian Eriksen earning a move to Barcelona after another poor display at Leicester; the Dane hasn’t record a goal or an assist since the international break, and Murphy urged him to keep his levels up.
“I would look at a couple of aspects; one is the stadium change,” said Murphy. “There is no denying that has had an effect, and we all know that. I think the other thing is that the foundation of that side – Dembele and Wanyama sitting in from of the back three or back four, depending on how the played – they’ve hardly had them two together, and we wonder why Dele Alli isn’t quite playing the same.”
“Anyone playing ahead of Dembele and Wanyama is going to be able to get more of the ball and use his energy to that way – it isn’t the same when those two don’t play, and I think that’s been a big problem. Also, sometimes in a team, somebody is so good, you start leaving them to it a bit. Because Kane is so phenomenal, they think he can get them out of trouble, but other people need to step up. Lamela is back now, he’s got something to prove. Eriksen has got to keep his levels up. I heard last month that Eriksen fancies a move to Barcelona – well he’s going to have to play better! He’s a good player, I like him, he’s scored a lot of goals, especially internationally, but Leicester away…you’ve got to turn up!” he added.
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