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da betano casino： This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
Erik Lamela has no place at Tottenham Hotspur.
The Argentina international has been pictured in pre-season training ahead of the 2018/19 campaign but one has to wonder: Why?
This is a player who has so often flattered to deceive, so often had semi-decent runs of form struck down by injury, that it would be easy to forget he was even on the books if you didn’t check Spurs’ website regularly.
Mauricio Pochettino, the manager, warned of a “painful” rebuild at the club this summer and steps to that end are already being taken. Spurs have signed Tanguy Ndombele from Lyon for a club-record fee and also scooped up Jack Clarke from Leeds United before loaning him back to the Championship club.
Lamela is not being listed as for sale. He is not being linked with a move away.
And yet the question has to be asked as to what he actually brings to the club.
Last season, he made 33 appearances in all competitions and scored six goals. He also registered three assists and yet the abiding image of his campaign is his attempted dribble in his own box as Spurs looked to see out a 3-2 lead over Ajax in the Champions League semi-final.
In the Premier League, he completed 90 minutes twice. He made nine starts but was substituted seven times across the encounters.
Per Understat, his statistics are middling at best. Across 19 Premier League games, he averaged 2.69 shots per 90 and 2.17 expected assists (xA). His expected goals (xG) rate was 3.76.
To look at his shot map, though, is to see a frustrating winger who all too regularly tries the spectacular. He had nine shots from outside the box last season; only one was on target.
All four of his goals came from inside the box and yet he missed efforts from inside the six-yard area and right on the edge of it.
This is a frustrating contradiction of a player who all too regularly becomes the problem when he is playing.
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Per WhoScored, he was dispossessed 1.1 times per game in the Premier League and averaged 1.5 unsuccessful touches in each game.
He is not the player Spurs need on the flank. He is not quick enough, nor is he tricky enough, to really justify playing on the wing, particularly ahead of a speed merchant like Lucas Moura.
This summer, Spurs need to bring players in but they also need to shift the deadwood.
Lamela, sadly, should be at the very front of that queue.