‘Richarlison turned soft by Tottenham after Everton and Watford’
Tottenham attacker Richarlison has been blasted by his former teammate Troy Deeney following defeat to Liverpool in the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final.
There were some dreadful Spurs performances at Anfield throughout Ange Postecoglou’s side as they were thumped 4-0 in that match on Thursday (6 February).
That allowed Liverpool to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the first leg and secure their place in the final of the competition.
It was a tough game for Richarlison, who was on the end of an elbow from Virgil van Dijk just moments after kick-off.
The attacker then handed Tottenham another blow when he was forced off injured before half-time, just weeks after returning from another long injury layoff.
Troy Deeney shocked by Richarlison under Ange Postecoglou
Those issues for the Brazilian have left Deeney stunned given the player he remembers playing alongside when the duo were teammates at Watford.
Speaking on talkSPORT, the former striker was asked by Jim White about where Richarlison is right now amid everything that is going on at Tottenham.
Responding to that question, Deeney said: “I was thinking about this on the drive home yesterday. So I remember Richarlison when he was with us at Watford.
“He was nasty, and what I mean nasty is he wanted it. This was everything for him. He’s obviously come from Brazil, whole new lifestyle change, I’ve got to make this work.
“And he dragged through a lot of games, an exceptional player. But his determination to play week in week out, I think he played 18 months straight, no rest no nothing, went all the way through.
“Then he goes to Everton, they obviously are in a relegation battle, the culture there is you’ve got to work hard, do what you’ve got to do. He did really well there and then he gets his move to Spurs.
“Since he’s been to Spurs he’s been injured more in that time at Spurs than he has at the two clubs I just previously mentioned.
“Then I see him now, and I see a softness to him that I’ve never seen before. Like he went down with Van Dijk, a little elbow, he went down like he’d been shot.”
After Alex Crook then stated that the Liverpool centre-back was rightly not sent off for that challenge, Deeney continued: “Not a chance.
“Anyway, he goes down. I’m watching him and going ‘that’s not you. That’s not the kid I remember.”
Richarlison injury situation a major concern for Spurs
Football Insider Verdict
There have already been a huge amount of injury for Postecoglou to deal with over the course of this season.
As a result, Tottenham can surely ill-afford to have Richarlison going down as easily as the likes of Deeney feel he is.
With Dominic Solanke among those unavailable, the Brazilian is the one who Spurs ought to be turning to lead the line when looking at their current attacking options.
But if as is suggested here he has gone soft, he cannot be relied on to cope with the inevitable attention he will get from defenders while trying to do that role.
That will be a major problem for Tottenham as they look to get a return on their significant investment in him.
It will be a concern for Postecoglou too amid Spurs sack pressure this season..