Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara criticises Cristian Romero for his part in Leicester City’s equaliser
Tottenham Hotspur played out a 1-1 draw with Leicester City at the King Power Stadium in their Premier League opener on Monday night.
Ange Postecoglou’s side were simply outstanding in the first half and deservedly took the lead in the 29th minute through right-back Pedro Porro, who glanced home a whipped cross from James Maddison. After getting their noses in front, they upped the ante and constantly probed Leicester City for the second goal.
However, for all the dominance Tottenham enjoyed in the first half, they couldn’t double the money and dearly paid for it just minutes before the hour mark. The Foxes’ first shot on target led to an equaliser as Abdul Fatawu’s cross from the right was headed in by the unmarked Jamie Vardy from point-blank range.
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The way in which Tottenham conceded the equaliser didn’t go down well with former star Jamie O’Hara, and he tormented Cristian Romero for his lack of defensive awareness. He was also disappointed with skipper Son Heung-min’s display in the second half and lamented Spurs’ lack of ruthlessness in front of goal to kill the game.
“Disappointing second half, Son wasn’t good enough and we should have put them to bed in the first half,” said Jamie O’Hara on TalkSPORT when discussing Monday night’s Premier League game with Jason Cundy.
“Just watching the Leicester goal back. What’s Romero doing? The goal that they score. I mean, look, it’s a great header from Vardy. Where is Romero going? I mean, honestly, world-class defender, won the World Cup and an absolute shambles.”
While there were a lot of positives to take from the game, some things were not up to the mark especially when defending. For example, Cristian Romero—A World Cup and Copa America winner—was not in a position to stop Vardy from scoring. His lack of positioning left the ex-England international unmarked to score an unerring header past Vicario from five yards out.
Being a leader, Romero should have taken the responsibility of organising the backline and done miles better for Leicester’s leveller. The goal came from nowhere and Spurs just weren’t ready to deal with it. This isn’t the first time Ange Postecoglou’s side have dropped points from being in a comfortable winning position.
The Lilywhites’ inability to kill games was a big conundrum last season. The team’s profligate nature in front of goal saw Postecoglou air his frustration after the game at the King Power Stadium. A point on the travels is never bad—especially against a newly promoted side on the opening week of the season—but the fact that Postecoglou’s side could have easily gone out of sight in the first 45 minutes will be tough to take.
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Postecoglou and his coaching staff must emphasize the team’s overall defending and shape—both from open play and set pieces—if we are to bring Champions League football back to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2025.
