Gary Lineker and Micah Richards both believe Mathys Tel should be playing on the left-hand side after struggling to make an impact in a central role during Tottenham’s 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa.
The French striker started as a centre-forward under Thomas Frank on Sunday but failed to lead the line effectively, registering no shots on goal and completing just five accurate passes.
With the tactical move appearing unsuccessful, Lineker noted that Tel was unable to perform the duties expected of a natural striker against Villa, particularly struggling to exploit the high defensive line employed by Unai Emery at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Sunday’s game marked Tel’s third Premier League start, all of which have come at centre-forward. He had scored his first goal of the season in the 2-1 win over Leeds United before the international break.
Tottenham were without injured forward Dominic Solanke, while Richarlison replaced Tel in the final half-hour, and Randal Kolo Muani made his return from injury.
Speaking on The Rest is Football, Lineker said he preferred seeing Tel play on the left flank:
> “I preferred him, perhaps, on the left-hand side when I’m seeing him play there. But yeah, he wasn’t making the natural runs of a striker that understands how to beat an offside trap, which is not that difficult when a team plays that high line with no pressure on the ball.”
Tel, who joined Tottenham from Bayern Munich in February, has found it difficult to settle in North London, scoring just four goals in 28 appearances since his arrival. The ‘extraordinary’ Frenchman initially joined on loan before making the £30 million move permanent in the summer.
Tottenham continue to face several injury setbacks in attack, with Solanke sidelined since their 2-0 victory over Manchester City in August. Dejan Kulusevski also remains unavailable, having undergone knee surgery before last season’s Europa League final.
