The Tottenham star certainly enjoyed the Argentine’s moment of skill, even if he did have some sympathy for the Crystal Palace winger.
England’s Danny Rose and Andros Townsend during training
Tottenham Hotspur defender Danny Rose has been speaking to the Spurs TV about Erik Lamela’s sensational nutmeg on their former teammate Andros Townsend, and it won’t be enjoyable viewing for the Crystal Palace star.
Rose and Townsend came through the Spurs academy at the same time, with the left back less than a year older than the winger.
But his fellow England international’s first return to White Hart Lane as an opponent rather than a home player didn’t end well, with Alan Pardew’s side conceding a late winner with Victor Wanyama’s header, and Townsend struggling against Rose for large portions of the match.
Tottenham’s Erik Lamela in action
To cap it all, Townsend was embarrassed by the Argentine in stoppage time in front of his old supporters, with Lamela’s sumptuous piece of skill putting the ball between his legs and seeing Rose with his hands on his head in disbelief and amazement.
“I just thought ‘Erik why did you do that!?'” the fullback told Spurs TV.
“It was brilliant to watch, I just wish it was against another player and not Andros. I didn’t realise I put my hands on my head until afterwards. It was a brilliant nutmeg.
“When Andros was here he used to get nutmegged five or six times in a training session without a doubt.
“I was actually thinking in the game he’s done well not to get nuttmegged today, and then Erik did that. It was brilliant, sorry Andros!”
Townsend is often the one that is embarrassing players, with his quick feet and pace, but on this occasion he was the one with egg on his face, and he surely will have winced even more after hearing Rose reveal his nutmeg weakness, however good natured it was.
It’ll be interesting to find out if Townsend’s new teammates will be giving him a hard time in training or if they’ve already discovered this method of getting past him.
Crystal Palace’s Andros Townsend
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