Tottenham star has an extra reason to hate Arsenal
Tottenham players don’t really need extra motivation to dislike their North London rivals, but one Spurs ace has an extra reason to hate Arsenal.
Every Tottenham player is expected to build up a healthy disdain for Arsenal once they sign for Spurs, but Lucas Moura won’t need any time to arrive at that mental state. His struggles at PSG under manager Unai Emery give him a very valid reason to hate the Gunners.
Given the way Lucas has played of late, Emery may well regret freezing him out of the squad during his time in Paris. The Brazilian attacker has referred to his time under Emery at PSG as “the worst seven months” of his life. Lucas couldn’t find his way into his manager’s squad despite the fact that he’d been the club’s second leading scorer the year before.
No matter what Emery’s rationale was for that tactical decision, he may pay for it on the pitch this year. In all likelihood he’ll be forced to contend with Lucas in two North London derbies this season. The two bitter rivals could play more often if they’re drawn against one another in any Cup competitions.
Lucas almost assuredly won’t keep up his current average of a goal in every Premier League match he plays in, but he’s clearly in his new manager’s plans. Mauricio Pochettino didn’t hand him game time when he first arrived last season, but a full summer of training at Spurs has allowed Lucas to earn the Argentine’s trust. He’s not just scoring goals for Tottenham. Lucas also serves as the focal point of Pochettino’s high press.
The biggest question about Lucas’ role this season will be what Pochettino does with him once Heung-Min Son returns from the Asian games. Given the Brazilian’s current run of form, look for him to retain his place in the starting XI for the foreseeable future. Son might feel a bit hard done by that decision, but Pochettino should be able to convince him he needs time to rest after his efforts playing for his country.
Next. Pochettino has reinvigorated Lucas. dark
Don’t expect Lucas to talk up his conflict with Emery much as the season goes along, but he will have an extra bit of motivation to defeat Arsenal this year. It isn’t just about a club rivalry for him, it’s a personal beef with the Gunners’ boss.