Van Hecke Criticises Tottenham’s “Unacceptable” Start and Appears to Blame Robertson for Villa Goal
Jan Paul van Hecke has delivered a strong assessment of Tottenham’s disappointing start to the Premier League season while appearing to point the finger at Andy Robertson for Aston Villa’s opening goal.
The Dutch defender, who joined Spurs from Brighton for £52 million during the summer, described the team’s performances as unacceptable as Roberto De Zerbi’s side continue to search for their first league victory. Tottenham’s 3-2 home defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday left them at the bottom of the Premier League table.
Van Hecke Appears to Criticise Robertson
Van Hecke appeared to suggest that Robertson made the wrong decision in the build-up to Villa’s first goal.
Micky van de Ven had temporarily left the pitch to receive treatment, meaning Tottenham were playing with 10 men. Instead of putting the ball out of play, Robertson continued with possession. Villa regained the ball shortly afterwards, allowing Johan Manzambi to open the scoring.
Speaking to Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad, via Sport Witness, Van Hecke suggested that with only 10 players on the pitch, the sensible decision would have been to send the ball out and wait for Van de Ven to return.
Spurs Defender Voices His Frustration
The 24-year-old admitted that Tottenham’s players had expected a much better start, particularly after the club’s significant spending during the summer transfer window.
Van Hecke said the team’s performances, the manner in which they concede goals and their drop in energy during matches are all unacceptable.
What Happens Next for Tottenham?
De Zerbi will now have the international break to work on Tottenham’s problems and prepare his squad for their next Premier League fixture.
Spurs return to league action on October 10 when they travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United.
Meanwhile, Van Hecke has joined the Netherlands squad ahead of their Nations League campaign, with the Dutch side set to face Germany on Thursday.
