Tottenham’s Argentinian centre-back, Sergio Romero, has made a name for himself as a formidable defender. However, his aggressive playing style has also come with its share of problems.
Alan Hutton, a former Scotland international, has voiced concerns about the player’s tendency to be rash, which has resulted in disciplinary issues.
The statistics speak for themselves – since joining Tottenham, Romero has accumulated 17 yellow cards and 2 red cards. This is a clear indication that the defender has struggled with maintaining discipline on the field.
While his aggressive approach to the game can be a strength, it can also be a weakness, as was seen in a recent match against Manchester City where he was sent off late in the game.
Hutton believes that Romero’s disciplinary issues are a result of adjusting to the pace and physicality of the new league. However, he also acknowledges that taking the fight out of the player’s game could negatively impact his performance.
According to him, Romero needs to work on his defensive skills and avoid diving in when he is unable to win the ball, in order to minimize his chances of picking up yellow or red cards.
He told Football Insider:
“I think it is always a worry when first team players get sent off.”
“The problem is that he can be rash at times and that can be a result of coming in to this league.
“You are playing against some of the best players, they are quick and sharp in their movements and you want to try and get there first, I get that.
“As a defender sometimes you think you can get there first and nick it away. It is probably something that he has to work on defensively, stay tall and upright, do not dive in when you do not think you can get the ball.
“So it is probably something he needs to improve on. He is still young, he is going to get better. It is a worry but if you take that sort of aggression too much out of players they are not the same.
“It is probably better having a word in his ear and telling him to sharpen up rather than taking it out of his game totally.“
There is no doubt about the quality of the defender and his ability to make a significant impact on the pitch. However, the world cup winner may need to work on avoiding disciplinary issues in order to reach his full potential.