Erik Lamela is bigger figure for Tottenham Hotspur than he was three years ago.
Darren Anderton has acknowledged Erik Lamela’s improvement at Tottenham Hotspur, writing in the club’s matchday program.
The 24-year-old has established himself as a pretty important player in Mauricio Pochettino’s two-year spell as Spurs boss so far.
Prior to that, Lamela, a £30 million signing from Roma, had struggled under Andre Villas-Boas and Tim Sherwood, with a lack of fitness and form hindering him.
But the Argentine manager appears to have helped him develop another facet of his game, one which seems to have improved his off-the-ball qualities and physicality.
Consequently, Lamela has been virtually ever present for the Lilywhites in recent seasons, and Anderton – who knows a thing or two about injuries, hence the nickname ‘sicknote’ – is happy to see the Argentina international bounce back the way he has.
“I think he’s come on a heck of a lot. To join a new club is tough, but if you join and then you get injured like he did at the beginning it’s hell,” he wrote in Tottenham’s matchday program for the 2-0 win over Manchester City on Sunday.
Lamela isn’t a popular figure among Tottenham fans at this moment in time after missing a penalty to make it 3-0 on Sunday, after refusing to let Son Heung-min take the spot kick.
Still, he seems a much stronger character now than he perhaps was, and the embarrassment of missing the penalty, after demanding to take it, won’t linger and affect him going forward.
Tottenham’s Erik Lamela in action with Liverpool’s Georginio Wijnaldum
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