Sandro Tonali has come under scrutiny from sections of the Tottenham Hotspur fanbase following his £100m signing from Newcastle United, with the club languishing bottom of the Premier League after five games with just two points.
The 26-year-old Italian midfielder has failed to register a goal or assist this season, posting expected goal figures of 0.24 and expected assists of 0.61. His inconsistent displays have raised questions about whether Tottenham’s substantial investment has justified itself, particularly given the club’s broader £300m summer spending spree.
Former Spurs and Newcastle legend Chris Waddle believes Tottenham’s midfield lacks variety, telling Betpack: “The midfielders are very similar. You need different types of players. They’ve always had a No 10, a talisman who can make goals and score goals, they haven’t got that at the minute.”
However, Waddle defended the players against accusations of downed tools, arguing the problem is confidence rather than effort. “You can’t say they’ve downed tools, they actually are working very hard,” he said. “It’s putting that ball in the net, and eventually you can see the frustration in them.”
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