Erik Lamela has insisted that referees penalise him unfairly on occasion and give too many soft fouls against him.
The Argentine might be a divisive figure among the Spurs fan base but one thing that no one can doubt is the midfielder’s effort and tenacity.
Lamela is never one to shy away from a challenge and is always in the opponent’s face, denying them space and trying to pinch the ball back.
The 28-year-old holds the record for committing the most fouls since the restart, a crazy statistic when considering he has come off the bench for most of his appearances.
When asked about the fouls he commits, Lamela told The Guardian: “It’s the way I play football.
“Too many times it’s not even a foul, but they [the referees] are giving fouls. I get angry sometimes.
“But it’s not something I’m trying to do. It’s just the way I train, and how I play.”
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The midfielder is a man of few words and unsurprisingly offered a blunt answer when asked about the job Jose Mourinho was doing since arriving at Spurs.
When asked about the Tottenham boss, Lamela said: “When he [Mourinho] took the team, it wasn’t in a good position. Afterwards, the team improved.
“I cannot say much about the manager, but I can say he’s doing the right job and pushing the team in the right way [direction].”
The former Roma man also insisted that there is a lot more to come from this Spurs side going forward.
He added: “The team changed a little bit the mentality in the last few games. And you can see on the pitch we are all together, trying to find the best solution.
“I think the team has so much quality, a lot of players who can win the game at any time.
“So if we improve in the other aspects, we can be much better. This season we conceded a lot of goals, and after it’s more difficult to win the game.”
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Erik Lamela arguably better encapsulates the nasty edge that Mourinho wants his players to show on the pitch than any other player in the Spurs dressing room. It is not surprising to see that Jose has taken to the Argentine and has so many positive things to say about him. There have been a few reports which have suggested that the 28-year-old could leave the club this summer but I cannot see Jose wanting to let him go. If the five substitute rule stays in place for next season, Lamela could be a very useful option off the bench.
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