Erik Lamela: Tottenham Hotspur's Bale replacement has a Ronaldo swagger
Tottenham ace Erik Lamela scored an impressive header against Everton on the opening day of the season to salvage a point for his side.
The Argentine looked more confident than ever in a
Spurs shirt, and could very easily have won the game with a rasping effort which was well saved by Maarten Stekelenberg.
Lamela is in his fourth season in English football, and looks primed to step up and really become a mega star.
The winger was brought in to replace Gareth Bale in 2013, and found his first couple of seasons a struggle, mainly due to injury, but also partly due to simply having to adapt to the Premier League.
Mauricio Pochettino has been a good coach for him, and last season especially the signs were there that he is really beginning to grasp what it is all about.
Lamela was impressive in pre-season, and has carried on that form into the Premier League campaign, with the game at Goodison a perfect example of what he is capable of.
Whenever he was in possession he wanted to make an impact, and stretched the Everton defence all afternoon.
In 2011/12 Bale netted nine league goals for Tottenham. The following season he reached new heights, netting 21 times in the division.
Lamela looks primed for a similar step up. Whether he can reach Bale's heights is another matter, having just five goals lat season to build off - but he is already off the mark this campaign.
Against Everton, Lamela was more reminiscent of Bale's Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, possessing a swagger about him - less exaggerated of course - but it was one which said he knew he could change the game.
Whether it was his direct running, or his willingness to drop a shoulder and find an incisive pass, Lamela was difficult for the Everton defence to get near, and his header showed a bravery the Madrid man would have been proud of.
Even the celebration - pointing at himself - was a little too Ronaldo-esque for comfort.
This is all a good sign for Tottenham, who want Lamela to step up and become a leader for the team. At 24, age and lack of experience is no longer an excuse, he needs to deliver - and on Saturday he looked like a player who knows he can.
Now he has to continue this form for the next 37 games, and help Tottenham stay in this season's title mix.
http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2016/08/1...m-hotspurs-bale-replacement-has-a-ronaldo-sw/
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It looks like someone is trying to bring Lamela's price to Bale and Ronaldo level ! Notice the media is now calling him "Tottenham ace" and no longer "Tottenham misfit". That itself is a huge credit for Lamela's improvement in the last 2 years !