Tottenham Hotspur might need the divisive Argentine to step up to the plate.
If Tottenham Hotspur have ever had a Marmite footballer, it’s Erik Lamela.
Very few Spurs players have divided opinion among the fanbase in ways that the Argentine winger has.
Some Tottenham fans love the Argentine’s work rate, tenacity and high-energy pressing, while others have criticised him for a lack of productivity in the final third.
It’s a valid criticism. Lamela, who joined Tottenham over five years ago, has only managed 14 goals and 22 assists in 123 Premier League outings for the North Londoners.
But the 26-year-old, who earns £105,000 per week with the Lilywhites [Spotrac], can shut his critics up for a while if he steps up in the absence of some very big players.
Dele Alli looks set to join Harry Kane and Son Heung-min in the list of players that Mauricio Pochettino is missing at the moment, and what a chance for Lamela to step up to the plate.
Nobody is expecting the former Roma star to score in every game, but Pochettino does need him to buck up his ideas with regards to goals and assists over the coming weeks and months.
Lamela, Christian Eriksen and Lucas Moura’s responsibilities have now increased, to the point where you could argue that Tottenham’s season hinges on how effectively all three cope.
But the other two don’t divide fans like Lamela and that’s why he has most to gain by improving his numbers.
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