Former Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer was far from impressed with one Tottenham star in Spurs' draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford
Alan Shearer has slammed Tottenham star Dominic Solanke's time at Spurs as 'nowhere near good enough' and said the forward is lacking confidence. The Premier League record goalscorer was not impressed with Solanke's impact against Manchester United.
The Lilywhites striker scored his first Premier League goal of the season against the Red Devils with a smart header after holding off Lisandro Martinez. But it was his wayward efforts throughout the match that frustrated Shearer.
One such effort in particular irked the former Newcastle star when Solanke was played through by Lucas Bergvall and awkwardly switched the ball with his right foot, killing the angle for his shot against Senne Lammens, and allowing the Belgian goalkeeper to make the save.
Shearer could not help but highlight Solanke's poor goalscoring record for Spurs after joining the club in a £55million deal. Solanke has netted 24 goals in 73 appearances for Spurs but has not hit double figures in the Premier League since leaving Bournemouth.
“It’s nowhere near good enough, only once in double figures when you consider the money they paid for him," Shearer said on Match of the Day.
“Just watch how awkward and how little confidence he has here, because of his desperation to get it onto the right foot here. Naturally, you move the ball out three yards on your left foot and hit it, if he had the belief.
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“The lack of movement here: a goalscorer gets himself into the middle of the goal; where’s he going? When he says they need to be more clinical, he needs to be more clinical.”
For his part, Solanke agreed that he should have come away with more goals against United. “I probably should’ve had three goals today," he said.
"I wanted to make sure I kept getting as many as I can. I put one away so I’m thankful for that."
Solanke's boss, Roberto De Zerbi, was full of praise for his striker, however. The Italian does not believe the criticism of the former Liverpool and Chelsea youngster is always warranted and said he deserved to wear the captain's armband on Saturday.
"Because he suffered maybe too much. Because 'Tottenham didn't win, Tottenham didn't score, who is the striker of Tottenham? Solanke is not good enough'," De Zerbi said.
"It's not true, Solanke is good enough to play; maybe he is the best striker for us, because of his qualities. He is a complete player; he is a good guy; he has personality.
"He has to feel good in terms of his physical condition, but he is a great player. I wanted to show what is my confidence, and what is the importance I give him in this team.
"After the last game, the criticism, I wanted to put him as captain, to show my confidence and the confidence of the team, because all other players were happy when I said that Domi Solanke is captain.
"When one player of us is in a difficult situation, all other players and staff and myself, we have to show, to be close with him, like a family, like a team, like a normal team."