Tottenham Hotspur defender Cristian Romero has come under fire for his below-par performances this season.
The Argentine international, who is widely regarded as one of the Premier League’s best defenders, has struggled to replicate the form that made him an essential part of Ange Postecoglou’s side last year.
During the previous season, Romero was appointed to the club’s leadership group by Postecoglou, and the added responsibility saw him elevate his game. His partnership with Micky van de Ven was rock solid at the back, making it one of the best centre-back partnerships in the league.
However, this season has been a different story. Romero’s performance level has dropped, and he has made several costly mistakes, directly or indirectly leading to goals for the opposition.
The latest example came in the recent loss to Brighton, where he was caught ball watching, allowing Danny Welbeck to score the decisive goal unmarked.
Club insider John Wenham has singled him out and blamed him for most of the goals Spurs have conceded this season so far.
Speaking to Tottenham News, he said:
“Romero was poor against Brighton. If you look at the goals we’ve conceded this season, quite a lot of them have come down to mistakes from Romero. Therefore, that is very concerning.”
“During the first few games of the season, you can accept it, maybe there is a tiredness after the Copa America success in the summer.”
“However, we’re into October now and he’s played quite a lot of games for Tottenham this season, yet we’re still seeing these same mistakes.”
Despite his current slump, Romero’s quality is unquestionable. His talent and experience have made him a key figure in Tottenham’s defence, and fans will be hoping that his current struggles are merely a temporary dip in form.
If Romero can regain his confidence and composure, he could once again become a cornerstone of the team’s defensive stability, which has been lacking in recent games.
Spurs supporters are eager to see him return to his best and help shore up the backline as the season progresses.