Tottenham’s big summer purchase has struggled to start the season
When Tottenham landed Vincent Janssen this summer, many Spurs fans celebrated finally having a legitimate backup for Harry Kane. Unfortunately, the Dutch international has struggled in his first five matches with his new club.
It’s too early for Tottenham to really panic about Janssen’s struggles, but there are some troubling signs. It’s not just that he’s failed to score in five matches, it’s that he’s struggled to cope with the athleticism of English football.
In all honesty, my biggest worry about Janssen is that he just seems slow. He works extremely hard on the pitch, but he just doesn’t get from point a to point b very quickly. That means his positioning and finishing ability have to be perfect for him to be an effective player.
So far, it hasn’t all come together for the Dutchman. Even optimistic Tottenham fans like myself are starting to worry if he might follow in the footsteps of Roberto Soldado as a costly flop. There’s certainly time for him to turn things around, but the clock is ticking.
Fortunately for Janssen, he’s likely going to get a start against Sunderland this weekend. Harry Kane obviously needs some rest, and playing against one of the Premier League’s weakest sides does present manager Mauricio Pochettino with a golden opportunity to leave him on the bench.
Janssen would be well served to take advantage of that opportunity. Tottenham have an extremely passionate fan base, we aren’t the most patient group in England. If he goes too many more matches without finding the back of the net, the pressure is going to become unbearable. Just ask Soldado what a loss of confidence can do to your performance as a Spur.
Ultimately, it’s still too early to form a final opinion on Janssen. Five matches, only one of which being a start, just hasn’t given him enough time to really play his best football. The clock is definitely ticking louder and louder every week though. If he doesn’t produce tangible results soon, he might not last long at White Hart Lane.
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