Paul Robinson: Postecoglou must help Richarlison with ‘expectation’ at post-Kane Tottenham
We’re delighted to welcome former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson as our exclusive columnist as each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium…
Paul Robinson believes Ange Postecoglou’s man-management will be crucial in helping Richarlison improve his goalscoring record at Tottenham in a post-Harry Kane world.
Brazil international Richarlison struggled to live up to his £60million price tag in his first season at Tottenham, scoring just three goals in all competitions.
There is more of an onus on Richarlison to rediscover the sort of form from his four-season stay at Everton this term with club-record goalscorer Kane having departed for Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.
With Kane out of the picture, Richarlison has a free run to make the striker berth his own, albeit new skipper Son Heung-min can also play centrally.
Former Spurs keeper Robinson accepts Richarlison will have to manage the “weight of expectation” that comes with replacing Kane, though says the goals will also need to be shared around the team this season.
Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, Robinson said: “This is an opportunity for Richarlison. We all know where Harry Kane has gone and we all know the 30-odd goal void that he’s left.
“Looking at the Tottenham team now, with the players that they’ve got, how many players in that team have scored 30-plus goals in a season? You’re struggling.
“Richarlison leads the line for Brazil and has proved he can do it at the top level of the World Cup. But he’s never had the opportunity to do it at Tottenham because of Harry Kane.
“Spurs always struggled when Kane was not playing. Now, Richarlison is that number nine and he’s been given an opportunity.
“There’s a weight of expectation on him now because he’s got to score the goals, but there are goals elsewhere in that Spurs side. There’s Dejan Kulusevski, Son Heung-min, and James Maddison all chipping in.”
Richarlison has yet to get off the board in the Premier League this term but did register in the EFL Cup penalty shoot-out loss to Fulham on Tuesday (29 August) with a bullet header at the end of a dangerous run into the box.
Postecoglou has put his faith in the Brazilian in the early stages of the campaign, but Robinson said the Australian boss faces a much different task dealing with a player like Richarlison than someone like Kane.
“The biggest thing with Richarlison is man management and the way that the manager is with him”, Robinson said.“The type of character is the type of personality that he is is obvious.
“When he’s been subbed a couple of times this year, he’s not seemed to enjoy it! He doesn’t like coming off the pitch. But I don’t think he’s going to score the 30-plus goals this season that Harry Kane scored, but the goals could be shared around the side a lot more.
“Richarlison does have to take his share as playing as the number nine and the responsibility of scoring those goals given his opportunity of starting the game every week. We’re only three games into the season and yet he hasn’t scored in the Premier League yet, but the manager showed faith in him.
“Strikers, it’s a difficult position because if a striker doesn’t score and a manager takes him out after three games, it always seems unfair. It seems like we haven’t been given an opportunity.
“The fact that Spurs haven’t got a direct replacement for him gives him that little bit of time. He knows he’s going to start every week. I have no doubt he’ll score the goals, but I’m just not sure whether he’ll get the 25 to 30 mark this season.“
In other Tottenham news, John Wenham has shared his verdict on Spurs’ new-look defence under Postecoglou.