‘Not acceptable’ – Postecoglou criticises Werner display

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou says Timo Werner’s performance was “not acceptable” after replacing him at half-time in the 1-1 Europa League draw at Rangers.

The German forward, 28, lost possession 16 times, did not win any of his five duels and only completed 69% of his passes.

Former Rangers striker Steven Thompson, covering the game for BBC Sportsound, said at the time: “Timo Werner’s final decision on the ball so far has been abysmal.

“I’ll be amazed if he’s not hooked at half-time.”

Werner was indeed replaced before the players came out for the second half by Dejan Kulusevski, who went on to score a 75th-minute Spurs equaliser after Hamza Igamane had given Rangers the lead two minutes into the second half.

“When you’ve got 18-year-olds [in the squad], it [that performance] is not acceptable to me,” said Postecoglou.

“I said that to Timo, he’s a German international.”

Former Chelsea forward Werner, who is on loan from RB Leipzig, has only scored once in 19 appearances. This was his eighth start.

Tottenham forwards Richarlison and Wilson Odobert are currently sidelined and Postecoglou added: “In the moment we’re in right now – it’s not like we’ve got many options – I need everyone to at least be going out there and trying to give the best of themselves.

“His performance in the first half wasn’t acceptable.

“We need everybody, including him, to be contributing because we don’t have the depth to leave people out if they perform poorly. I expect a level of performance from some of the senior guys, and tonight wasn’t that.”

The draw at Ibrox left Tottenham with only one win in their last eight games in all competitions.

Werner’s struggles

Werner has failed to excel since arriving from Leipzig last January.

The loan deal was initially until the end of last season – and then extended to cover this campaign too.

Werner scored twice in 14 games in the second half of 2023-24, but has netted only once in 19 appearances this season, with his struggles evidenced in the price built into his temporary deal.

Under the first arrangement, Spurs had the option to sign him for £15m – but it is now an £8.5m option to buy.

Werner has 24 goals from his 57 Germany caps, but last played for his country in a friendly defeat by Belgium in March 2023.

He also scored 23 goals in 89 appearances during a two-year spell at Chelsea, winning the 2021 Champions League, Uefa Super Cup and Fifa Club World Cup, before rejoining Leipzig in 2022.