Speaking recently in a video posted on his YouTube channel, Alasdair Gold discussed Tottenham Hotspur winger Lucas Moura.
Since joining Spurs from Paris Saint-Germain in what was a £25.56 million deal back in 2018, the £28.8 million-rated 28-year-old has gone on to feature 112 times for the club, scoring 24 goals and providing 12 assists along the way, prior to Tottenham’s fixture with Chelsea on Tuesday evening.
So far this season, Moura has featured in all three of Tottenham’s Premier League fixtures, scoring Jose Mourinho’s side’s only goal in their recent 1-1 draw with Newcastle United.
However, prior to this goal, the Brazilian winger last scored a league goal for the club back in December 2019, and it would seem that this is something that led to Gold criticising the 28-year-old in a recent video posted on his YouTube channel.
He said: “From an attacking sense, [he] just does not contribute enough.
“I always feel people get a little bit sucked into the whole ‘speedy winger dribbling thing’ – they get very excited about it, and I do too, but when you actually drill down and analyse what actually happens once those runs go on, it’s just not enough.
“You feel now like he’s warming a spot for Gareth Bale, who will be back after the international break midway through next month, and hopefully with [Heung-min] Son back as well [the front three] will be Son, [Harry] Kane and Bale.
“Unfortunately for Lucas, I think he then goes back to being the impact [substitute] he was under [Mauricio] Pochettino.”
Can you see Moura keeping his place in the team when Bale is back fit?
Yes
No
TIF Thoughts…
Considering the fact that Moura averaged a WhoScored match rating of 6.96 over his 35 Premier League appearances last season, it would appear that the winger’s performances have been far from disastrous.
However, Gold’s comments regarding Moura not contributing enough in an attacking sense would appear to hold up, as, in comparison to Kane’s 18 goals and two assists over his 29 Premier League fixtures last season, as well as Son’s 11 goals and 10 assists over 30 league appearances, the Brazilian’s four goals and four assists last term would appear to indicate that he is some way off the level of attacking output of his fellow forwards.
As such, we are in agreement with Gold that it would not be surprising to see Moura drop out of the side when the club’s new loan signing, Bale, is back fully fit.