Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino has opened up on Vincent Janssen’s struggles.
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has told The Independent that he is happy with how Vincent Janssen has been training this week – and admitted that he needed a private wake-up call.
Spurs hammered Millwall 6-0 in the FA Cup last weekend to book their place in the semi-finals of the competition, with Son Heung-min smashing a hat-trick against the League One side.
Manager Pochettino was dealt a huge blow during the same though, as striker Harry Kane suffered a major ankle injury in the first half and was immediately taken off, with fears that he will be out for up to six weeks.
However, Spurs and Pochettino did receive a boost on Sunday, as Vincent Janssen scored his first goal from open play in a Tottenham shirt with the sixth goal in that win over Millwall.
The Dutchman was viewed as a goalscorer who could take pressure off Kane having scored 31 goals in 49 games for AZ Alkmaar last term, but his first season in the Premier League has been a struggle.
Janssen has found the net just five times, with his first four coming from the penalty spot before notching against Millwall, with Spurs now needing him to step up in Kane’s absence.
Tottenham’s Vincent Janssen shoots at goal
The 22-year-old should be boosted by that goal, and could be in contention to feature against Southampton on Sunday, with manager Pochettino now reflecting on his situation at White Hart Lane.
Pochettino has told The Independent that Janssen need a ‘wake-up call in private’ in order to reminded that he could be playing despite his struggles, and he’s now ‘happy’ with how Janssen has trained this week.
“So far from the beginning of the season some players need a wake-up call in private, in my office,” said Pochettino. “It is true that in the earlier period of the season his form was down and he needed a wake-up call to be reminded that the possibility of him playing could arrive. Now he is okay, he is motivated and confident. He is also feeling a little bit of relief after his first goal from open play and that is important. I am happy with the way that he has trained this week, too.”
“It is complicated for the offensive players at the big teams, who are behind Harry Kane, Diego Costa, Alexis Sanchez or Zlatan Ibrahimović. But [Janssen] is young and has just arrived from Holland. I am happy with him and all the players but I understand that they are not happy with all situations,” he added.
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