Jan Vertonghen claims Tottenham team-mate Vincent Janssen is not lacking in confidence.
Tottenham Hotspur defender Jan Vertonghen has told the Hertfordshire Mercury that it’s ‘very good’ that Vincent Janssen took a penalty against Leicester City on Saturday afternoon.
Spurs drew 1-1 with the Premier League champions, as after Janssen had stepped up to score his penalty having been fouled by Robert Huth, Ahmed Musa grabbed an equaliser for Leicester.
Tottenham’s Jan Vertonghen
The result means Tottenham haven’t won in their last five games in all competitions, drawing four times and losing once in a tricky spell for Mauricio Pochettino’s side.
The problem has been scoring goals. In those five games, Tottenham have found the net just three times, and two of those were penalties by Janssen.
The Dutch hitman has been filling in for Harry Kane since the England international picked up an ankle injury against Sunderland in September, but he hasn’t brought the same predatory instincts as the White Hart Lane hero.
(L – R) Tottenham’s Vincent Janssen, Jan Vertonghen and Victor Wanyama
Janssen, who hit 31 goals for AZ Alkmaar last season before joining Spurs, but has scored just three times in all competitions this season, all of which have been from the penalty spot, meaning he’s still waiting for his first Spurs goal from open play.
After Saturday’s game, defender Jan Vertonghen was asked by the Hertfordshire Mercury whether any other Tottenham players wanted to take the penalty – but the Belgian stated that Janssen’s penalty record meant that nobody was about to wrestle the ball away from the 22-year-old striker.
Tottenham’s Vincent Janssen celebrates scoring against Leicester
Vertonghen was also quizzed on Janssen’s confidence levels after a shaky start to the season, but the defender stated that his team-mate is ‘very confident’ – and will score goals this season.
“No. He’s a very good penalty taker and he’s scored all three of them,” said Vertonghen when asked if anybody else was planning to take Saturday’s penalty. “He scored a couple for the national team and in Holland, so I think as he’s a striker he wants to score. It’s very good that he takes responsibility.”
“I don’t think he’s short on confidence. He’s a very confident striker. He knows his qualities and he will score goals,” he added.
Have you been happy with Janssen’s start to the season?
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