Alasdair Gold slammed Conor Gallagher for his performance in Tottenham Hotspur's defeat at Sunderland on Sunday, and the impact he's made since joining in January.
De Zerbi defends Tottenham players after Sunderland defeat
Roberto De Zerbi's reign got off to the worst possible start on Sunday afternoon, as Tottenham succumbed to a 1-0 loss at the Stadium of Light, with Nordi Mukiele's deflected effort just after the hour mark proving to be the difference between the two sides.
However, the new manager refused to be too critical of his players, and insisted his side deserved more from the game, saying: "We didn’t deserve to lose. We played a good game, but maybe not good enough to win.
"I cannot say anything to the players because they gave their best in terms of attitude and spirit. We can play better but my work is not so much on the pitch as mental. They are all good guys and I feel sorry for them. I want to give them the confidence they need."
That said, at this stage of the season, results matter more than performances, and Spurs now find themselves in a perilous position, sitting 18th in the Premier League table, two points from safety.
Although De Zerbi was impressed by some of the things he saw from his side, Gold was particularly critical of Gallagher's display, and questioned the impact the midfielder has made since his arrival in a recent YouTube video.
"He gives the impression of always looking busy, but you'd actually be hard-pressed to kind of jot anything down that he's done that's worthwhile and actually contributes to the cause.
"He's not experienced winning a match with Tottenham in the Premier League since he arrived. That is a pretty awful feeling I would imagine. It probably makes you feel like you are some kind of jinx to the team."
Gallagher one of many Spurs players who needs to step up
When signing from Atletico Madrid in a £35m January deal, the Englishman probably never would've expected Tottenham to be in this position, but he must step up in the coming weeks, having struggled to make an impact on the game against Sunderland.
The midfielder didn't create any big chances and made zero tackles, but he wasn't the only player who flattered to deceive, with Lucas Bergvall receiving a SofaScore match rating of just 5.7, after touching the ball only 19 times prior to his substitution just after the hour mark.
In order to avoid the drop, it is going to take a monumental collective effort from the entire squad, having underperformed on far too many occasions this season, starting next weekend, when Spurs host De Zerbi's former club, Brighton & Hove Albion.