Tottenham Hotspur striker Vincent Janssen was handed a rare chance in the club’s latest Premier League game.
In comments reported by Football London, Mauricio Pochettino has insisted that he does not know why it has surprised anyone that he used Vincent Janssen in Tottenham’s win against Brighton on Tuesday.
Janssen went into the game with the Seagulls having not made a single first-team appearance all season. But he had been handed a potential lifeline by being included on the bench for the trip to Manchester City at the weekend.
And as Spurs tried to find a winner in the latter stages of their clash with Brighton, Pochettino decided to hand the Dutchman the chance to make an impact and brought him on for the final 10 minutes.
It was Christian Eriksen who scored the decisive goal as stoppage-time loomed. But Tottenham fans would be forgiven for thinking that Janssen’s introduction could be a pivotal moment if he is able to earn more chances.
However, Pochettino played down any idea that he had experienced a change of heart in regards to the 24-year-old’s situation as he always felt that the striker was an option.
“Today with a lot of problems with a lot of offensive player like Harry Kane or Lamela I think we needed Vincent. In the last few months he was injured, he has recovered from injury. And now he is like from January, he is part of the team. We are going to decide if he is available, sometimes to use, sometimes to not like another player,” he said, as reported by Football London.
“I don’t know why it is going to surprise people, what I told you four or five months ago, that is the reality that happened today. I am not a liar, I am not a person that needs to lie to you or my fans. He is part of the team and I am going to decide whether to use or not. But today we needed him and he was on the bench like he was against Manchester City. But he cannot be on the list in the Champions League.”
It would still be a big surprise if Janssen had a long-term future at Tottenham. But perhaps a run in the team could be beneficial if they are looking to sell him in the summer.
If he can bag a couple of goals and help Spurs guarantee a spot in the top four, his value may increase and Tottenham could perhaps secure a fee slightly closer to what they paid AZ Alkmaar for him in 2016.
And, while it may seem incredibly unlikely, perhaps there is still the slightest opportunity for Janssen to prove that he can contribute to Pochettino’s team beyond the end of this season.
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