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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
Jamie O’Hara has told talkSPORT (via The Daily Express) that Tottenham’s decision to sell Kieran Trippier was “strange”.
What did he say?
Despite making 26 Premier League starts for Spurs last season, the Lilywhites decided to let the right-back leave north London. In the end, the 29-year-old joined the Liga giants Atletico Madrid.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side lost 2-1 against Leicester City on Saturday, and O’Hara bemoaned the departure of the former Burnley man. He said: “I think the problem you’ve got is that if [Christian] Eriksen goes, people will start questioning where the ambition is with the football club and they’re going to be like ‘are we going to kick on here? Are we going to get players in?”
“The biggest one for me is the Trippier one [which] I found strange.”
“That’s where they’re struggling, Tottenham can’t hold onto a lead at the minute.”
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Sold too soon
Last season was not Trippier’s best in a Tottenham shirt. After a fantastic World Cup, he failed to re-adapt to life with his club and struggled to reproduce the form he displayed for his country.
Despite that, he still played eight European matches as Spurs reached the Champions League final, and also managed to provide three assists in all competitions. He was a victim of his own success, and therefore any drop in the quality of his showings was exaggerated.
In Madrid, he is proving that he still has plenty more to give. In six games for his new side, he has already registered two assists, and he continues to provide the offensive threat that earned him a place in Gareth Southgate’s starting XI in Russia.
He has created 1.8 chances per game in the Liga, whilst he made a huge seven key passes against Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday. In defence, too, he has been solid, with Los Rojiblancos keeping four league clean sheets with him in the side.
So far this term, Pochettino is still unsure of who to play in his place. Serge Aurier and Kyle Walker-Peters have started two and three games respectively, whilst the former Argentina international even decided to use Davinson Sanchez there instead against Olympiacos.
Trippier’s form in Spain, as well as the lack of a quality replacement, clearly shows that Tottenham were too hasty in moving him on. It is a decision that could continue to haunt them as they struggle this term.