Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham Hotspur’s manager, has expressed his dissatisfaction with Timo Werner's performance during the team's 1-1 draw against Rangers in the Europa League. Despite starting for the eighth time this season, Werner's lack of impact on the game saw him substituted at half-time, as Postecoglou was not happy with the German international's contribution.
Werner, who has been on loan from RB Leipzig, struggled to make a meaningful impact throughout the first half. Although he registered four touches inside the opposition's box, his overall play was deemed subpar, which hindered Tottenham's attacking flow. The statistics from the match highlighted his struggles. Werner lost possession 16 times—second only to teammate Pedro Porro, who lost it 20 times over the full 90 minutes. His ball control issues continued as he failed to complete any of his three dribbles and didn’t win a single one of his five duels. Additionally, his passing was ineffective, with Werner completing just 18 of his 26 attempted passes, which equates to a passing accuracy of 69.2%.
Postecoglou opted to replace Werner with Dejan Kulusevski at halftime, a decision that paid off almost immediately as Kulusevski scored the equaliser shortly after the break. In his post-match comments, Postecoglou didn’t hold back in voicing his disappointment with Werner’s performance. He pointed out that it was not acceptable for a player of Werner’s calibre, especially with his experience as a German international, to produce such a lacklustre display. “When you've got 18-year-olds, it's not acceptable to me,” said Postecoglou. He added that he had conveyed this message directly to Werner, underscoring that higher standards were expected from him, especially considering his pedigree at the international level.
This season, Werner has struggled to find his best form at Tottenham. In 19 appearances so far, he has managed just one goal and three assists. Given the current injury crisis at Spurs, with both Richarlison and Wilson Odobert sidelined, Postecoglou is left with limited forward options. Despite Werner’s poor showing in the Rangers match, Postecoglou acknowledged that Werner may still feature in upcoming matches due to the team’s injury woes.
Speaking on the team's current situation, Postecoglou stressed the importance of every player contributing their best effort. “In the moment we're in right now – it’s not like we’ve got many options,” he explained. The Tottenham manager emphasized that no player could afford to be excluded from the lineup based on a single poor performance, underscoring that the team needed to rely on everyone to give their maximum effort, particularly in light of the team’s injury-hit squad.
In summary, while Timo Werner’s performance in the 1-1 draw against Rangers left much to be desired, Postecoglou remains pragmatic about the challenges facing his squad. The team’s thin attacking options mean Werner may be given another chance to prove himself, despite his recent struggles. However, Postecoglou’s message to the 27-year-old was clear: he expects much more from a player of his experience and pedigree.
