Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou said striker Timo Werner's performance in the 1-1 draw with Rangers was “unacceptable”.
The 28-year-old started on the left side of Spurs' attack at Ibrox but was substituted at half-time, with substitute Dejan Kulusevski eventually firing in a stunning equaliser.
One point for the Premier League side keeps them ninth in the league stage of the Europa League and in a strong position to secure eighth place, guaranteeing a direct entry into the last 16, but while Postecoglou described it as “important” he was “frustrated with Werner, who is on loan from… RB Leipzig.
“Yes, just tactical. He wasn't playing anywhere near the level he should have been,” Postecoglou said when asked about Werner's withdrawal at the break.
“When you watch Kulusevski, he is at the top” 🔝
Is Dejan Kulusevski the key for Tottenham this season? 🔑
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“It's unacceptable to me. I said that to Timo. He's a top international, a German international. At the moment, we don't seem to have many options. I want everyone to at least go out there and try to do their best.
“Yes, his performance in the first half was not acceptable.
“We just need everyone to contribute, including him, because we don't have enough depth to leave people off the pitch if they're doing poorly. We need them to do their part especially the senior players.
“When I ask young people to do huge tasks, I expect a level of performance from older people, and today that was not the case.”
Injuries in defense meant Postecoglou was using versatile 18-year-old Archie Gray at centre-back, but the summer recruit put in a largely assured display and fellow teenager Lukas Bergvall caught the eye after coming on as a second-half substitute.
“He's 18 years old, and it's a big experience for him and I think he's handled it really well,” Postecoglou said of Gray.
“As an 18-year-old, in his first year at this level, playing in unfamiliar positions in such big games, it's amazing what he does.
A rollercoaster return to Glasgow for Angie Postecoglou 😅🎢 pic.twitter.com/nvfTPNV2XF
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“I thought Lucas was excellent when he came on. He was due to start tonight but he wasn't feeling well today, due to the bad weather, so we had to keep him on the bench, but that's a positive for us.
“These two people, both 18 years old, already contributing and testing these things will be a huge benefit to us.”
Tottenham asked Fraser Forster to be at his best to leave Glasgow with a point after the former Celtic goalkeeper made a brave save to deny Cyril Desers a late shot, ensuring the English club are in a strong position to clinch a place in the top eight with games to go. Against Hoffenheim and Elfsborg in January.
“We were nowhere near our best and I think it's fair to say that, but at the same time we're in a period of games where we're going through a fairly depleted squad and asking players to get up for a week on an 'off week,'” Postecoglou admitted.
“I think we got back into the game well and the substitutions coming in made the difference. We scored a good goal, had a few more moments, but in the end, Firas made a great save for an important point, in the context of where we are in Europe.
