With Robert Lewandowski enduring the rarest of off-nights at one end, Poland needed their defenders to stand tall and strong at the other during Tuesday’s World Cup group-stage clash with Mexico.
At least they, unlike the superstar Barcelona forward, lived up to their end of the bargain. Between them, Kamil Glik and Jakub Kiwior made 11 clearances as Mexico fired cross after hopeful cross into the penalty area without reward.
Glik, an international centurian playing his in second World Cup, rolled back the years in a display reminiscent of his ‘thou shalt not pass’ days at the heart of Monaco’s Ligue 1 winning backline.
But for Kiwior, a player 12 years Glik’s junior, this was only a sixth cap for a man who made his Poland debut as recently as the summer.
And while the Spezia starlet endured the odd nervy moment – he was fortunate to get away with being robbed inside his own half early on – a £25 million centre-half dubbed ‘extraordinary’ by Lewandowski himself certainly played his part in a dogged draw. All the while showing the wider world just why he has so many admirers.
AC Milan, Napoli, Barcelona, West Ham and Atletico Madrid. Those are just five of the clubs who have been linked with Kiwior over the last four months. Now, thanks to Mundo Deportivo, we can add Tottenham Hotspur’s name to that list.
A link which, if true, serves to cast doubt already on the long-term future of a player who only arrived in North London in July.
Will Tottenham Hotspur sign Poland’s Jakub Kiwior as a Clement Lenglet replacement?
Barcelona loanee Lenglet has made no secret of his interest in securing a potential £32 million permanent move to Spurs at the end of the current campaign. Whether he gets his wish, however, only time will tell.
Lenglet has excelled on occasions. His goalscoring performance in the dramatic Champions League win at Marseille for instance. But some difficult displays against the likes of Leeds United and, in particular, Newcastle have exposed the Frenchman’s difficulties when dealing with a high press and fast-paced opponents.
Magpies scout Bruno Reis even admitted to Bola Branca that Newcastle had planned to ‘expose’ Lenglet. He was, in their eyes, a weak link.
“Lenglet’s performance against Newcastle was poor,” Jamie Carragher told The Telegraph; the former Sevilla man scorched by Miguel Almiron during Newcastle’s crucial second goal at Spurs.
“Conte’s argument that he needs a few more transfer windows is correct.”
“I just don’t think they’re good enough defensively,” adds Rangers legend Ally McCoist on talkSPORT. “I really don’t think they’re good enough defensively. Lenglet; I think (he and the rest of Spurs centre-halves) are alright defensively. But to compete at the very, very top level…”
Kiwior, like Lenglet, is left-footed and boasts an impressive passing range, as well as strength in the air. He is also comfortable in a back three, having thrived in the middle of one at Spezia in Serie A.
And while Kiwior is hardly much cheaper than Lenglet at £25 million, he is seven years younger too. Therefore, a more long-term investment.
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