adminAlan Shearer has delivered a brutal assessment of Lucas Bergvall’s contribution to one of Brentford’s goals during Tottenham Hotspur’s disastrous Premier League opener.
After weeks of optimism and excitement surrounding Tottenham ahead of the new campaign, Saturday’s defeat felt painfully familiar for many supporters. Roberto De Zerbi’s team produced a hugely disappointing display as Brentford ran out convincing 3-0 winners at the Gtech Community Stadium.
The performance was so poor that De Zerbi made a double change at half-time, with Bergvall among the players withdrawn. The 20-year-old midfielder had recently been told by De Zerbi that he remained part of Tottenham’s plans despite speculation over his future.
However, his underwhelming performance against Brentford could potentially force the Spurs hierarchy to reconsider whether keeping him is the right decision.
Shearer tears into Bergvall
There were already questions before kick-off about whether De Zerbi was taking a significant gamble by selecting Bergvall ahead of other midfield options.
Mateus Fernandes and Rodrigo Bentancur were both named among the substitutes, with both eventually introduced for the entire second half. Their presence on the bench demonstrated that De Zerbi had alternative choices available before deciding to put his faith in the Swedish midfielder.
Unfortunately for the Tottenham boss, Bergvall struggled badly during the opening 45 minutes.
One particular incident stood out and became a major talking point after Brentford doubled their advantage.
During the build-up to the Bees’ second goal, Bergvall attempted to cleverly roll the ball away from Mathias Jensen while challenging for possession. Instead of winning the duel, however, the Tottenham midfielder lost out and allowed Jensen to carry the ball towards goal.
Jensen’s effort was eventually parried, but the rebound fell perfectly for Vitaly Janelt, who made no mistake from close range to put Brentford 2-0 ahead.
Speaking on Match of the Day, former England striker Alan Shearer was extremely critical of Bergvall’s involvement.
Shearer questioned the midfielder’s decision-making and, in particular, his failure to make a proper challenge in the crucial moment.
His comments have only added to the scrutiny surrounding Bergvall following a performance that left Tottenham supporters frustrated.
Bergvall’s numbers make difficult reading
Although it would be unfair to place the entire defeat on one young player, Bergvall struggled to make a positive impact during his time on the pitch.
According to FotMob, the midfielder failed to create a single chance and registered no shots on target. He also made an error that directly contributed to a goal and managed just one pass into the final third.
His attacking contribution was similarly limited. Bergvall touched the ball just once inside Brentford’s penalty area and failed to complete his only attempted cross.
He was dispossessed once, won just one tackle and came out on top in only two of his four ground duels. His only successful dribble provided little to change the course of a frustrating first half.
Overall, Bergvall recorded just 27 touches before being replaced at the interval.
De Zerbi now faces a difficult decision
Bergvall will have an opportunity to respond when Tottenham return to action in the League Cup against Charlton on Wednesday.
That fixture could provide the young midfielder with the perfect opportunity to rebuild his confidence and show De Zerbi that Saturday’s display was simply an off day.
However, the situation becomes considerably more difficult when Newcastle United visit north London next weekend.
With Fernandes and Bentancur both available, De Zerbi now has genuine competition for places in midfield. After Bergvall’s disappointing showing against Brentford, the Tottenham manager may think twice before handing him another starting role in such an important Premier League fixture.
For Bergvall, the challenge is now clear: respond quickly, prove his critics wrong and demonstrate why De Zerbi remains convinced that he has a future at Tottenham.
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