Spurs fans are totally wrong to criticise Steven Bergwijn form for one huge reason
Steven Bergwijn has been quite the enigma at Tottenham Hotspur since his arrival nearly a year ago.
The 23-year-old arrived from PSV Eindhoven last January for around €30m (£26.5m) as one of Jose Mourinho’s first signings at the club. He has since seen his value rocket to a whopping €70m (£62m) as per the CIES Football Observatory.
But why?
Supporters on social media have gotten on his back at times, and on the face of it, it appears quite reasonable as he’s not scored since a 1-1 draw with Manchester City, which was Spurs’ first game back after the temporary break in June.
Do you rate Steven Bergwijn highly?
Absolutely!
Not just yet..
No way!
The general consensus
The north Londoners romped to a 3-0 victory over Leeds United on Saturday afternoon, a victory which moved them to third place in the Premier League.
Bergwijn was one of the few disappointments as he missed a sitter at 1-0. He also successfully pulled off just one of his three dribble attempts, fired three shots without scoring, won just 25% of his duels, and was dribbled past twice, via SofaScore.
It led to the following reactions on Twitter…
Bergwijn is the attacking version of sissoko … he’s physical and he works hard but has no ability in the final third. Getting rather fed up of it ! #coys #thfc
— David Abrams (@davetheshave11) January 2, 2021
Bergwijn just needs that 1 goals and everything might just start going his way. Too bad he’s got the shooting ability of Sissoko
— BH 🤷♂️⚽️ (@thfc_bh_) January 2, 2021
To think we paid 26m for Bergwijn… our worst transfer in years
— Paul (@thfc_paul_) January 2, 2021
Bergwijn is so bad
— 👑tm (@thfcTM) January 2, 2021
Bergwijn 🙈, he’s end product is awful #COYS #THFC
— Dan Surridge (@DanSurridge9) January 2, 2021
Get bergwijn off. He will cost us the game! Again!
— Tom Hallam (@TommyTHFC94) January 2, 2021
What has Bergwijn done well that half apart from run around a bit?
— N A T H (@Nath_THFC) January 2, 2021
If Bergwijn had a brain he’d be class
— Señor José (@THFC_LL) January 2, 2021
Unjust?
Indeed, the Dutch international has struggled in terms of goal contributions having provided only four assists in 19 appearances this term, but many in N17 need to realise the greater impact he is having under Mourinho.
In some ways, he has become his sacrificial lamb on that right-flank.
Per FBref, only three other players are pressing more than Bergwijn in the final third of the pitch and those three are managing more minutes, so it’s not completely reflective of his true potential.
This much is backed up by his heat map for the season, via SofaScore:
Clearly, he is involved way more than what is perceived – the map above shows he is contributing defensively just as much as he is up the field.
Without his presence against Leicester, Mourinho’s side were utterly dominated as the Foxes ran away with a 2-0 victory, so it can’t be a coincidence that Spurs pick up their first win in five games with Bergwijn back in the starting XI.
There’s a reason why journalists (The Extra Inch via This is Futbol) have lauded him a “really special” talent and “more effective than [Lucas] Moura” in the past.
Get off his back, Spurs fans.
AND in other news, Pathetic Spurs star who lost possession 19 TIMES badly betrayed Mourinho…
Article title: Spurs fans are totally wrong to criticise Steven Bergwijn form for one huge reason
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