So far, Janssen has mostly been used as a substitute, as many expected, but he’ll now be called upon to lead Tottenham’s attack after Kane suffered ankle ligament damage, ruling him out for a considerable period of time.
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While Tottenham signed Vincent Janssen from Alkmaar in the close season, potentially to relieve the burden placed on Kane over the past few years, the player has yet to score in six appearances for the Premier League club despite his prolific record in Dutch football.
“He got a ligament ankle problem and we need to assess every day and see”, Pochettino told a press conference at the Tottenham training ground. Beyond him, youth teamers Marcus Edwards and Shayon Harrison are Tottenham’s next options, which is one way of saying that Janssen and Son better stay fit and available until Kane returns. We chatted before in the restaurant, he’s in a very good way.
Should the second scan confirm as much then the striker would miss the Champions League group games against CSKA Moscow and Bayer Leverkusen – Spurs lost their opening match 1-2 against Monaco last week at Wembley.
Spurs’ crunch north London derby against Arsenal on November 6, just under seven weeks away, may come too soon, while his involvement in England’s qualification game against Scotland on November 11 and their friendly at home to Spain four days later also appears in doubt.
The England striker has been Spurs’ top scorer in each of the last two seasons, scoring 21 league goals in the 2014-15 campaign and 25 last season, earning him the Golden Boot. “It’s impossible to assess today and know how long”. It’s always hard when you don’t have an opportunity to play – strikers are always excited to play and sometimes feel the pressure.
“Well, Marcus Edwards, he is still 17 years old”.
The Lilywhites host Gillingham in the League Cup third round mid-week before next weekend’s trip to Middlesbrough in the Premier League.
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Pochettino said Mousa Dembele and Eric Dier would undergo fitness tests ahead of the game, after both players went off due to cramp in their hamstrings against Sunderland.
