Tottenham Hotspur picked up a 4-0 win over Crystal Palace in the Premier League but popular pundit Graeme Souness was not impressed with the performance of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
The 27-year-old midfielder has been a key player for Antonio Conte since joining Tottenham from Southampton.
However, he was far from his best last night, and he looked indecisive in his tackling and pressing.
They were a number of moments throughout the game where Hojbjerg seemed too cautious with his approach and his reluctance to press the opposition players with real aggression, could have proven costly for Tottenham.
Speaking on Sky Sports’ coverage of the game, the Liverpool legend said:
“Just watch Hojbjerg here at an attempt to sprint to him [Andersen] and close him down. Watch him, watch his attempt,” Souness said.
“He’s worried about getting hit with the ball. Sorry, watch. You know when you’re a manager on the sideline and you’re looking for a reaction from your team.
“First thing you’re looking for is some real aggression, you’ll die for the cause. Tottenham aren’t dying for any cause. They look [like] a team of players who are feeling sorry for themselves.”
Thankfully, the London club were not punished despite a timid performance in the midfield.
Spurs will be delighted with the comprehensive win over the Eagles, after a humiliating defeat at home against Aston Villa.
Antonio Conte will be hoping to build on the performance in the coming weeks now.
Spurs will be desperate to finish in the top four and secure Champions League qualification for next season.
They cannot afford to drop points against weaker sides and it remains to be seen whether Antonio Conte’s men can put together a winning run now.
As far as Hojbjerg is concerned, the Danish international is one of the best midfielders in the league and he will be aware of his mediocre performance against Palace. There is no doubt that the Spurs star will be working hard to improve in the upcoming matches.
