Freddie Ljungberg has claimed that Eric Dier’s defending ‘wasn’t the best’ as Tottenham Hotspur secured a crucial 3-2 win over Frankfurt in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
The German side opened the scoring when Dier provided them with a gift following his heavy first touch, which was pounced on by Jesper Lindstrom, before it found its way to Sebastian Rode who fed Daichi Kamada to finish things off.
Whilst it was a great attacking display from Spurs last night, and in truth, if it wasn’t for Kevin Trapp in between the sticks then they should have scored more.
But their defensive display, especially towards the end when Frankfurt were down to ten men, wasn’t something to shout about.
Ever since Antonio Conte walked through the doors in north London, one of the success stories at the club has been Dier and his change in form.
And whilst former Arsenal man Ljungberg agreed that DIer is usually a ‘reliable’ defender, he doesn’t think he was in this case, as he told CBS Sports Sports Champions League Show.
“It’s not the best Dier has ever done,” said Ljungberg. “He is normally a good defender and reliable – they are punished, but fightback.”
ADVANTAGE TO TOTTENHAM
Those were three big points for Spurs because it puts them top of Group D heading into the final few Champions League fixtures and leaves Frankfurt bottom.
Sporting Lisbon will visit Tottenham next and Conte will know three points in a few weeks might just secure their passage to the knockout stages.
They don’t want to be heading to Marseille – their final fixture – needing something to qualify.
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