Simon Jordan out of order with brainless remark about Tottenham star Timo Werner
Simon Jordan has unfairly called on-loan Tottenham forward Timo Werner “a speedboat without a brain”.
Werner joined Spurs on a temporary deal until the end of the 2023/24 campaign from RB Leipzig in January, but his season appears to be over after suffering a hamstring injury in the 3-2 North London derby defeat against Arsenal on 28 April.
As Spurs weigh up the possibility of a permanent move for the German, Jordan has taken aim at the 28-year-old, as well as his teammates Pedro Porro and Dejan Kulusevski.
He wrote for the Daily Mail (page 72, 2 May): “I have my doubts about players such as Pedro Porro and Dejan Kulusevski, too, while Timo Werner is a speedboat without a brain.
“I’m not convinced they are good enough, and [Ange] Postecoglou will need to upgrade a number of players if Spurs are to close the gap on the teams above them.”
Timo Werner’s ball-carrying qualities are important for Tottenham
Werner has become something of an easy target for journalists and pundits after he developed a reputation for wasteful finishing in his ill-fated spell at Chelsea.
The forward has not necessarily dispelled those doubts in his time as a Tottenham player, scoring just twice in 815 Premier League minutes despite racking up an xG of 3.72 – which suggests he could have doubled his tally [FotMob].
However, Werner brings plenty of other qualities to the table. In particular, his ability to drag his team up the pitch stands out – he has averaged an exceptionally impressive 8.79 progressive passes per 90 in the Premier League this season, placing him in the 98th percentile among wingers and attacking midfielders in the division, according to FBref.
Additionally, his creativity has gone under the radar. While the 28-year-old can be guilty of not making the most of the opportunities he creates for himself, his movement opens up spaces for his teammates and has led to him recording three assists from an xA (expected assists) total of 2.9 – suggesting his tally is well-deserved. His 80.8 per cent passing accuracy is also reasonable considering the high-risk nature of the passes he attempts in advanced areas or during transitions [FotMob].
Whether or not Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham decide to make Werner’s loan spell permanent will depend on a number of factors, including his price and possible alternatives – but make no mistake, the forward has not been the flop he is being made out to be.
In other Tottenham news, Spurs will need “warrior” Cristian Romero at his best ahead of their tricky run-in.
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