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Andros Townsend and
Erik Lamela have infuriated
Tottenham Hotspur supporters in equal measure this season.
For every good moment either have produced - and their combined total of good moments can be counted on one hand - the wingers have frustrated mightily in the final third.
Indeed, Townsend's poor season can be summed up by his reaction after scoring for England against Italy. He chose to hit back at Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson but his version of 'proving a point' was netting in a meaningless friendly. Because that's all he could use as evidence.
But
Spurs need not bother with either anymore. They are pet projects. Lamela because he cost the north London club big money, Townsend because he is a Tottenham youth product.
Indeed, Aaron Lennon has flourished since moving to Everton on loan and, even if Tottenham can't get his birthday right, they shouldn't be foolish enough to let their best winger leave on a permanent deal this summer.
Mauricio Pochettino may perhaps not be a fan of his due to his preference for inverted wingers. But here's the thing, Mauricio: no
Premier League manager will ever succeed without tactical flexibility. It's about time he showed some.
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On the other flank, meanwhile, why should Spurs look any further than Alex Pritchard? The 21-year-old has been superb for Brentford on loan and Harry Kane is proof enough the barrier between top-level success is wafer-thin if confidence is high and ability is there.
The only counterargument against Pritchard being promoted to the first team is whether he's old, mature or good enough for the Premier League. The fact, however, is that neither Lamela nor Townsend are - as we've seen time and time again. So why should that be used as an excuse for Pritchard?