SAMI MOKBEL: Polarising Werner confirmed promise on his Tottenham debut

What you deduce from Timo Werner’s return to Premier League motion will rely largely on the place your agenda is positioned.

If you assume Tottenham’s choice to supply the previous Chelsea ahead with a second crack at England’s high flight is a good suggestion, you then would have watched his position in helping Rodrigo Bentancur for Spurs’ second equaliser with a sure smugness.

In distinction, the doubters had been sporting the ‘I told you so’ smirk as Werner squandered three first-half probabilities with the type of erratic poise that characterised his time at Chelsea.

The fact is someplace within the center.

Explosive? No. Something to work with? Absolutely.

Tottenham’s choice issues owing to worldwide call-ups, harm and sickness noticed Werner handed a direct begin simply days after his mortgage arrival from Red Bull Leipzig was confirmed.

His go into Bentancur’s path supplied motive for optimism. So, too, did his willingness to trace again with the type of ferocity that has develop into a staple of Tottenham’s set-up beneath Ange Postecoglou.

He continues to own an innate potential to seek out himself in positions of actual menace – however in some ways, that’s the place the frustration lies.

Because among the defects that noticed him go away Chelsea in the summertime of 2022 considered a £45million mistake seem to stay imbedded 18 months on.

There was definitely proof of these glitches right here on his Tottenham debut.

His ending was wayward – regulars at Stamford Bridge throughout Werner’s two 12 months spell in west London know that frustration all too nicely.

The lack of composure and finesse he displayed when offered with a wonderful alternative from Oliver Skipp’s fantastically executed go within the forty fourth minute was all relatively unconvincing.

We’d develop into accustomed to that, after all, and right here at Old Trafford there was little signal of enchancment by way of his effectivity in entrance of purpose.

Making decisive judgements off the again of 80 minutes is unwise. He must settle and needs to be afforded the time to take action earlier than we appraise Werner 2.0.

But, with all that stated, it’s tough to see an everyday place for Werner in Tottenham’s strongest beginning XI as soon as Dejan Kulusevski, who missed the sport by way of sickness, and Son Heung-min, who’s on the Asia Cup, can be found.

‘He has two sessions with us and hasn’t began a sport for ages however I noticed right now that he’s going to be actually thrilling for us as soon as he will get to know our sport, will get on top of things with our coaching – he was at all times a menace,’ stated Postecoglou.

‘He will enjoy his football here, but most importantly today we had no option but to start him and he was a willing participant, he wanted to help, he put his hand up and that’s credit score to him.’

There had been shoots of encouragement right here. Werner performed his half in a dominant Tottenham show, one which Postecoglou gushed over after the ultimate whistle.

‘Performances like that gives you growth, you come out of it knowing you’re most likely not going to have it as arduous as we had it right now by way of a construct as much as the sport (with sickness and gamers unavailable) and nonetheless stay as much as these ranges,’ stated the Australian.

He’s proper. Once everybody is out there, this Tottenham staff can go toe-to-toe with the very best the Premier League has to supply.

What position Werner can play is as much as him, although the sound of Tottenham’s travelling supporters breaking into cries of ‘Timo, Timo, Timo’ will supply the 27-year-old motive to consider his second stint in England will show extra memorable than his first.