Tottenham: Mauricio Pochettino Has Faith in Vincent janssen
With Harry Kane injured, Vincent Janssen will get his chance to show Tottenham that he can be a reliable starter in this squad.
Promising displays in six appearances in all competitions for Vincent Janssen has given Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino faith that the Dutchman will make the lone striker role his own after Harry Kane suffered ankle ligament damage.
“We have another striker in Vincent, who can do the same. It’s true they [Harry Kane and Vincent Janssen] are different but they can play the same way,” Pochettino said (via Hertfordshire Mercury).
“It’s a big loss but that happens in football and I think we need to be ready to try to replace him. Vincent arrives in a good moment – he’s ready to compete.”
“When we signed a player, we build a strong squad, it’s for that.”
“It’s important that players are ready to compete and that is why football is a collective sport. Always when we talk, it’s about the squad, it’s about teamwork.”
“It’s a good opportunity for different players to have the possibility to show their quality, to challenge and to compete for a place in the starting XI.”
The 22-year-old has only started once this season leading Tottenham’s attack while Harry Kane played behind him in a central attacking role against Crystal Palace.
And while Vincent Janssen has yet to score in 206 Premier League minutes, Spurs’ offense has looked more straightforward when he’s in the game. They turn things up a notch with two strikers who get up the field always looking to score goals.
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“You can see [Vincent’s] qualities. It’s always difficult then you don’t have an opportunity to play,” Mauricio Pochettino continued.
“Strikers are always excited to play and sometimes feel the pressure. Now he needs to be calm, and he has an opportunity tomorrow to compete.”
While the responsibility of leading Spurs’ line will fall on Janssen’s shoulders starting in the League Cup’s third round against Gillingham (if he starts), Pochettino will be expecting goals from his second line of attack too (Christian Eriksen/Son Heung-Min, Dele Alli, Érik Lamela/Moussa Sissoko).
“It’s very important because it’s about the team and teamwork and always I think it’s important that they share the responsibility in front of goal.”
On the subject of Kane’s recovery time, Mauricio Pochettino was asked about the severity of Kane’s injury and preferred to keep things simple by giving no time frame on how long the 23-year-old will be sidelined for.
“We don’t know how long his injury is for. He’s got a ankle ligament problem and we need to assess him every day and see. Today it’s impossible to see the times for recovery.”
“There are different rumours, we cannot guess whether it’s eight, ten, four, one [weeks]. It’s impossible to assess today and know how long.”
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Despite a devastating injury for Spurs, the silver lining is that Harry Kane will finally be afforded proper rest since being named a full-time start in November 2014.
Suffering an injury is not the ideal way to earn rest but this was really the only way that Kane would actually recover, ironically enough, after two years of non-stop football.
“We must take that. We need to be positive,” Pochettino added.
“Now the damage is done. We can only be positive and try to help him become stronger than before.”
“Yes it’s important to help him. it’s a good opportunity to build his body, his fitness, his mentality, to work hard on different aspects and help him become more strong.”