Werner’s performance “not acceptable”, says Postecoglou

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou said striker Timo Werner’s performance in the 1-1 draw against Rangers was “not acceptable”.

The 28-year-old started on the left of Spurs’ attack at Ibrox but was replaced at half-time, with sub Dejan Kulusevski finally firing in a fine equaliser.

A point for the Premier League side keeps them ninth in the league stage of the Europa League and in a good position to secure a place in the top eight, allowing them direct entry into the last 16, but while Postecoglou called it “important”. period,” he was frustrated with Werner, on loan from RB Leipzig.

“Yes, just tactical. He wasn’t playing at the level he should have been,” Postecoglou said when asked about Werner’s withdrawal at half-time.

“When you look at Kulusevski, he’s the best” 🔝

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“It’s not acceptable for me. I told Timo that. He’s a senior international, a German international, with the moment we’re in right now, it’s not like we have many options, I need everyone to at least go out there and try to give the best of himself.

“Yes, his performance in the first half was not acceptable.

“We just need everyone, including him, to contribute because we don’t have the depth to leave people out if they’re underperforming. We need them to play their part and especially the senior guys.

“When I ask the younger guys to do massive jobs, I expect a level of performance from the senior guys and it just wasn’t that today.”

Injuries in defense meant Postecoglou used versatile 18-year-old Archie Gray at centre-back, but the summer recruit produced a very confident display and fellow teenager Lucas Bergvall caught the eye with a cameo in the second half from the bench.

Postecoglou said of Gray: “He’s 18, a great experience for him and I thought he handled the experience really well.

“As an 18-year-old, in his first year at this level, to play in unfamiliar positions in such important games, what he is doing is exceptional.

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“I thought Lucas was excellent when he came in. He was supposed to start tonight but he wasn’t feeling well today, a bit under the weather, so we had to keep him on the bench, but that’s a positive for we

“These two, as 18-year-olds, are already contributing and experiencing these things will be of great benefit to us.”

Spurs required Fraser Forster to be at his best to leave Glasgow with a point after the former Celtic goalkeeper produced a brave block to deny Cyriel Dessers late on, ensuring the English club are in a strong position to secure a place in the top eight with matches. against Hoffenheim and Elfsborg in January.

“We weren’t near our prime, I think it’s fair to say, but at the same time we’re in a period of games where we’re working with a pretty depleted squad and asking players to step up week in, week out “, recognized Postecoglou.

“I thought we came back into the game well and the substitutes made the difference. We had a good goal, we had a couple of more chances, but at the end a great save from Frase gets us, in the context of where we are in Europe, an important point”.