If any moment summed up Emerson Royal’s Tottenham Hotspur career to date, it occurred during the second half as Antonio Conte’s lacklustre charged were swatted aside like an irritating bluebottle by London rivals Chelsea in the EFL Cup semi-finals.
Racing onto a perfectly-weighted Harry Kane through ball, Emerson found himself inside the penalty area, heading towards the by-line, with a throng of hopeful team-mates waiting to tap into Kepa’s net.
Instead of picking up his head and sliding the ball across the six-yard box, Emerson overhit the simplest of crosses. So much so that it blazed over the heads of every Spurs player.
It almost felt like when you play a rookie at FIFA, tell them all the controls but forget to inform them about the power bar.
Only four months after joining from Barcelona, the Brazil international is already starting to feel like something of a weak link.
If his performance in the EFL Cup semi-final second-leg against Chelsea was ‘disappointing’, his display in the first-leg was disastrous.
Japhet Tanganga copped most of the blame. But Emerson’s role in Chelsea’s early opener at Stamford Bridge should not be understated.
And the fact that Claudio Ranieri appeared to tell his Watford players to stand off Emerson during the Premier League meeting on New Years’ Day – confident that the former Real Betis loanee posed next to no threat in the final third – spoke volumes.
“It’s almost as if Watford have said, ‘Let him have it’,” Arsenal legend Ian Wright said on Match of the Day. “I thought that every single cross he put in today had nothing on it.”
Can Emerson Royal save his Spurs career?
According to The Telegraph, Barcelona ‘cannot believe’ Tottenham paid nearly £26 million for Emerson. The phrase ‘daylight robbery’ comes to mind.
It is worth remembering, too, that Emerson was not a Conte signing. He arrived during the short-lived reign of Nuno Espirito Santo.
And, having spent the last two La Liga seasons playing as an orthodox right-back at Betis, the jury remains very much out on whether he is capable of thriving in Conte’s 3-4-2-1 formation.
Will Tottenham sign a new right-back?
According to Sky Sports, Tottenham are ‘considering’ a January bid for long-term transfer target Djed Spence. Conte is keen to add competition on the right-hand side.
Wolves’ Adama Traore and Lazio’s Manuel Lazzari are also targets. As is Brighton whizzkid Tariq Lamptey.
This certainly feels ominous for Emerson. Particularly when you consider that Spence, Traore, Lazzari and Lamptey are a more natural wing-backs.
Spence has even been likened to Trent Alexander-Arnold by former Middlesbrough boss Neil Warnock.
Spence is currently on loan at Nottingham Forest. And, as Steve Cooper’s side knocked Arsenal out of the FA Cup earlier this month, the one-time Fulham youngster showed that he is more than capable of thriving against Premier League opposition.
That is more than can be said of Emerson.
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