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Tottenham drama: Pochettino questions Eriksen’s personality

By Rucker Haringey

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 14: Christian Eriksen of Tottenham Hotspur shows appreciation to the fans after the final whistle during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Hull City at White Hart Lane on December 14, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 14: Christian Eriksen of Tottenham Hotspur shows appreciation to the fans after the final whistle during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Hull City at White Hart Lane on December 14, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images) /
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Tottenham’s manager doesn’t know if Eriksen has the personality to dominate matches

Mauricio Pochettino is really starting to learn how to use the press to his advantage. The latest target of his public comments is Danish playmaker Christian Eriksen.

Of course, this isn’t the first time that Pochettino has taken to the press to make a point. Just two weeks ago, he openly questioned Moussa Sissoko’s effort level. The Frenchman responded by significantly picking up his effort level in Spurs’ recent matches.

Now he hopes to do the same for Eriksen. In his most recent comments, the Argentine manager was very complimentary of the Dane’s skill set, but openly questioned whether or not Eriksen has the mental makeup to really dominate matches.

That might seem strange to neutral observers given the quality of Eriksen’s recent play. He’s scored five goals and notched two assists in his last four Premier League matches. Tottenham fans understand the whole of Eriksen’s campaign though. In the 11 matches immediately preceding his run of hot form, he scored zero Premier League goals.

In many ways, Eriksen is the most maddening player on the Spurs roster. When he’s comfortable and feeling confident, he can be a nightmare for opposing defenders. He has the skill to score from almost anywhere on the pitch. The attention he draws from defenders also allows him to provide excellent service to his attacking teammates. He’s truly a complete attacker.

Unfortunately, there’s a dark side to Eriksen’s game. He is guilty of drifting in and out of matches. His tendency to duck out of 50/50 challenges can drive the Spurs fan base mad. For me, that’s a much smaller issue than his proclivity to get knocked out of position while he’s on the ball. Eriksen has the talent to be a focal point of the Tottenham attack every time he steps out onto the pitch.

Credit Pochettino for understanding that. He won’t be satisfied with Eriksen showing up every odd match or so. He wants to push the talented Dane to bring his best football to every match. Not coincidentally, that would also give Tottenham the best chance to win football matches on a consistent basis.

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Pochettino is asking a very fair question though. Eriksen definitely has the skill to dominate matches, but he doesn’t seem to be an alpha dog out on the pitch. It’s quite possible he needs to be a complimentary player as opposed to a club’s number one option.

It will be quite interesting to see how Eriksen reacts to his manager’s comments. If he works hard to prove Pochettino wrong then he has a real chance to become a world-class player. If he shrinks into the background, Spurs could look to find a real alpha dog in the January transfer window.

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