Dominic Solanke needs “bit of time” to get to his best at Tottenham, feels former manager Glenn Hoddle
Dominic Solanke has made a fine impression since joining Tottenham Hotspur in a club-record deal from Bournemouth in August.
After Harry Kane’s big-money move to Bayern Munich last summer, Spurs searched for a player to fill in his void. Having failed in doing so in the past two transfer windows, the club chiefs finally managed to land one earlier in the summer. By all accounts, the club and our gaffer Ange Postecoglou felt Dominic Solanke was the right profile to lead the attack.
After a slow start to life at N17 due to an ankle injury, the England international has now started to gel with his teammates well and looks ideal for Ange Postecoglou’s system. Just two goals in six Premier League games doesn’t make a great reading for the centre-forward, but his off-the-ball work rate and the qualities he brings to the Spurs side are vital.
Tottenham came from a goal behind to beat West Ham United 4-1 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the Premier League last weekend. While Solanke didn’t score, he gave a good account of himself with some fantastic pressing, link-up play and running the channels.
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Former Tottenham manager Glenn Hoddle was impressed with the 27-year-old’s overall performance after the game, claiming it would only be a matter of time before he gets to his very best in a Spurs shirt.
“If he keeps persisting, he will pick up his six-yard box goals as well, and that’s what Spurs need,” Hoddle told TNT Sports (h/t GIVEMESPORT).
“They need someone that can score their type of goals in those six-yard box, the gimmes if you like. And he has just got to believe that it will happen.
“And there is a goal in him as well. He can manufacture a goal himself, drop his shoulder.
“We will see them as well. I just think it is going to take a bit of time to see him at his very best in a Tottenham shirt.”
Hoddle seems pretty confident that Solanke is the right man for Spurs and will get used to Big Ange’s style of play. However, the Spurs icon has called for patience from the fans, expecting the English striker to take a bit of time to fully adjust before he starts scoring goals left, right and centre.
The Lilywhites performed very well without a recognised No.9 last season and finished fifth in the Premier League, qualifying for the Europa League in the process. Nonetheless, there was certainly a need to bring in a pure goalscorer to address the Kane-shaped void, and Solanke was one of the best options available on the market.
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The £90,000-a-week ace will be aiming to get back to the scoresheet in midweek when Spurs host AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League.
