Now finished in European football and playing for the San Jose Earthquakes in MLS, the beginning of the end for Timo Werner was an ill fated loan spell at Tottenham Hotspur in which he scored two goals in the Premier League. And although that is a figure Randal Kolo Muani, Spurs current loan acquisition at striker, exceeded in one Champions League game against actual employers PSG, RKM has been so poor that Spurs supporters may as well pine for the days of Werner.
There is something to be said about character and effort in a relegation fight, and Spurs now sit in an unprecedented situation, just one point above the Fray after losing yet another London derby - this time 3-1 to Crystal Palace.
Kolo Muani almost inexplicably started the game, but not even Igor Tudor, who managed Kolo Muani's brief resurgence at Juventus last season, could get the Frenchman to look like a competent Premier League forward. Although Kolo Muani had a brief run of form in a Tottenham uniform, he has looked mentally checked out over the past couple of months, and it is remarkable he is still on the team after winter transfer rumors.
Randal Kolo Muani is a bigger flop than Timo Werner was
There is no doubt that Werner was a loan transfer flop for Spurs, and beyond his 2020/21 season in which he had 14 goal contributions for Chelsea in the league en route to hoisting the Champions League in a fairytale run under Thomas Tuchel, the German international has been terrible since then - a certified Premier League bust who could not even cut the mustard in his second stint at RB Leipzig.
But Tottenham would gladly take that over Kolo Muani at this point. Because even though Werner could not hit a barn door during his time with Spurs, at least he would run and try. His pace alone was something for defenses to worry about.
Kolo Muani, right now, is offering nothing. Even the bare minimum of effort is missing from his game, and Spurs supporters are beginning to see him as a waste of space mercenary who typifies the ego and overrated sense of self importance of the current crop of Spurs players.
Werner was a flop, but at least he tried and was never full of himself. He did not give up on the team. Kolo Muani has become such an albatross at Spurs worst moment of need that in comparison, Werner looks like Fernando Torres.