Tottenham Hotspur head coach Ange Postecoglou will continue to try and restore Timo Werner’s confidence, but has acknowledged they need more from the out-of-form attacker.
Werner was replaced at half-time of Thursday’s 1-0 win over AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League after another mixed display where he squandered a big chance in the 27th minute.
RB Leipzig loanee Werner recently deputised for injured captain Son Heung-min, a doubt for Sunday’s trip to Crystal Palace with muscle soreness, but has not scored in his last 16 appearances for Spurs.
The excellent second-half performance of 17-year-old Mikey Moore, who switched from the right to his favoured left wing after Werner’s early exit, leaves Postecoglou with a dilemma at Selhurst Park.
If Son fails to recover in time as expected, Moore could get the nod for his first Premier League start over ex-Chelsea forward Werner.
“We are talking to Timo constantly,” Postecoglou said.
“We understand he is lacking some confidence at the moment and everyone has been working hard at that, but with all these things, ultimately it’s incumbent on him to use as much support he’s got around here to get himself out of it.
“Our role in that is to provide that support whether that’s internally or externally, whatever he needs. Obviously it’s then up to him to try to use that to get him back to the levels where he wants to be and where he can contribute for us. Like I said, with all the players what we try to do is provide an environment where should they need help, it’s readily available.
“We do need output and that’s the key part. Obviously when Mikey was on with Brennan (Johnson), we were a threat on both wings and we were getting outcomes from it.
“We didn’t score but three or four really good chances came from it and we need that to happen with the way we play. Whilst the general play is important and Timo has done well, we still need more in that front third and we got it in the second half.”
