Tottenham Hotspur’s Argentinian defender, Cristian Romero, was singled out for a notably poor performance as Spurs were held in a 2-2 stalemate by Manchester United at the weekend. Former England stalwart Stuart Pearce didn’t mince his words, identifying Romero as the weak link in Tottenham’s setup.
In a game that saw Manchester United initially take the lead with a Bryan Mbeumo header, Tottenham rallied late. Mathys Tel grabbed an equaliser with six minutes remaining, followed by a seemingly decisive goal from Richarlison in injury time. However, United’s Matthijs de Ligt had the final say, netting a dramatic late equaliser.
Romero, who hobbled off in the 88th minute with the score poised at 1-1, faced harsh criticism from Pearce, who was unimpressed by the defender’s lacklustre display. Speaking on talkSPORT, Pearce remarked, “If I was a chief scout analysing Romero, I’d pinpoint him as a vulnerability. One could easily exploit the space behind him, and from a recruitment perspective, I’d advise staying clear.”
Pearce continued, “Romero’s current form is indeed horrific. Carelessly losing possession in midfield and neglecting to track back is unacceptable for a defender, especially the captain.”
Despite slipping two points late in the match, Tottenham’s head coach, Thomas Frank, expressed satisfaction with his side’s second-half resurgence. Frank praised his players for their resilience, stating, “Our performance, especially after the break, was commendable against a side like Manchester United. Conceding so late is frustrating, but our comeback shows promise.”
Frank faced some discontent from the stands when substituting Xavi Simons for Tel, a decision validated when Tel bagged the equaliser. The Tottenham boss defended his tactical choice, saying, “Every substitution is made with the team’s best interests at heart. Today it paid off, as Mathys delivered exactly when needed.”
Despite the setback, Frank remains optimistic about the team’s trajectory, acknowledging there’s still work to be done to achieve the fluidity and precision he envisions for Spurs.
In other news, Tottenham’s efforts to retain Van de Ven could prove challenging with looming interest from Real Madrid, contingent on certain conditions.