Tamworth 0-3 Tottenham (Tshikuna OG 101′, Kulusevski 107′, Johnson 118′)
THE LAMB GROUND — Whatever Chelsea did to turbocharge Timo Werner needs to be looked at.
What is left is a shell of the player who arrived on our shores with a burgeoning reputation for goals.
In an age where managers are told to be careful what they say to a media waiting with bated breath for a headline-grabbing line, Ange Postecoglou took the unusual step of singling Werner out following Tottenham Hotspur’s Europa League draw at Rangers last month, having hauled the German off at half-time, labelling his showing “unacceptable”.
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Read MoreThings have not improved since. Werner’s performance at Tamworth should in reality be the final nail in the coffin of his Premier League career.
“When we saw the draw, reality sank in that we would be up against these global superstars,” Tamworth goalkeeper Jasbir Singh told The i Paper after Spurs needed extra-time to beat the National League strugglers at The Lamb.
“You see these players on the TV and think we are not going to stand a chance. Then when we played them, we actually did.
“It is crazy we can bring them down here and hold our own for so long.”
That is how Postecoglou will be looking at it. Up against part-time footballers, Werner lead the line without causing full-time architect Singh even the slightest concern.
More worryingly, Werner’s willingness to chase down lost causes, a trait that made him something of a cult hero at Chelsea even as the glaring misses became commonplace, has all-but disappeared.
Spurs are very much at a crossroads under Postecoglou. One direction will lead them to further disaster, bringing hilarity to rival supporters only they can, while the other promises a brighter future, spearheaded by some of their impressive young players the Australian has started to accumulate.
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Read MoreVictory over Liverpool last Wednesday was not without its fortune, but the way an embryonic side took the game to the best in the country, with a confidence that belied their inexperience, started to veer them onto that path to enlightenment.
Too many below par and lacklustre star names needing a 101st minute own goal to finally get the better of part-time footballers ensured further glee for rivals is just as likely.
In the first half, Sergio Reguilon had more touches in Tamworth’s penalty area than Werner, who, at this point, was playing as Spurs’ furthest man forward.
His productivity improved after the break as part-time legs tired and he was deployed in a wider role. The end product, however, remained way below those standards Postecoglou expects.
In this period of Spurs transition, when blood, sweat and tears are needed to ensure the front-foot Ange-ball bears fruit, that Werner did not even attempt a single tackle or aerial duel all match and lost 80 per cent of his ground duels should be of serious concern.
For a player who clearly relies on confidence, the road back to anything like his peak RB Leipzig days is a long one. One goal across all competitions this season, from 26 appearances, albeit mostly from the bench, means when his loan move does expire, there will hardly be a clambering to make the move a permanent one around north London.
In previous years, Tamworth would have got the potentially lifesaving replay their efforts deserved. Fans, players and manager Andy Peaks were at pains to remind us of such after the match.
Werner is one who does not deserve another chance. Postecoglou’s options may be thin, but the German offers nothing to help Spurs finally find their way.
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