Jamie O’Hara unimpressed by Ivan Perisic and Yves Bissouma at Tottenham Hotspur
Former Tottenham Hotspur star Jamie O’Hara has claimed that Ivan Perisic and Yves Bissouma are yet to impress for Spurs since moving to the club this summer.
The Croatia international joined us from Inter Milan on a free transfer, while Bissouma arrived from Brighton & Hove Albion. The former has been a regular fixture in manager Antonio Conte’s side.
A slight fitness concern meant Ryan Sessegnon started our first two league games this season, but Perisic has been a fairly regular starter this season. It was an odd sign seeing him left out on the bench against Newcastle United on Sunday (October 23).
The Mali international Bissouma, meanwhile, started as the extra midfielder in a 3-5-2 formation. Perisic came on as a 61st-minute substitute for us with the score at 2-1 in the Toons’ favour.
Bissouma played the full 90 minutes. The pair couldn’t help Tottenham get anything at home against manager Eddie Howe’s side in a shock home defeat.
Speaking exclusively on talkSPORT (h/t Express) after the full-time whistle, a visibly frustrated O’Hara said he wasn’t impressed by Perisic and Bissouma so far in this campaign.
“The new signings that have come in haven’t really kicked on. Perisic I’m not convinced with, Bissouma’s been really average or even poor in a way, and Djed Spence hasn’t really been given an opportunity.”
It is unfair to drag Djed Spence into this conversation as he found regular playing time impossible to come by – even during Emerson Royal’s three-game domestic suspension due to a red card.
Perisic has been a menace down the left-hand side and is a very dangerous outlet for our attack. He is truly one of the most reliable performers in this side, so perhaps O’Hara comments won’t be much popular among our fans.
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Bissouma, meanwhile, seems to be getting to grips at Tottenham. Conte himself admitted that the former Ligue 1 midfielder is finding it tough to adjust to his tactical demands but the Malian has shown gradual improvement since then.
