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Wayne Rooney made his thoughts perfectly clear on Lucas Bergvall following Tottenham's Champions League victory over Villarreal on Tuesday evening.
A calamitous Luiz Junior own goal – forced by the Swede's cross – after just four minutes decided the contest, and though it was another clean sheet for Spurs, it was far from a convincing display.
Former Arsenal star Nicolas Pepe got some serious joy on the right and Tottenham were again lacklustre in their build-up play.
"Offensively, we struggled on the day to create something against a good team," Frank openly admitted after the game in his press conference.
"What I like is that our foundation is strong. Now we are four games won, three in the Premier League, one in the Champions League, and we have four sheets, which is massive.
"We are building the offensive structure more and more. Xavi Simons has just come into the club. It's fair to say he and Djed need a little relationship, of course, to get going.
"I think there was a spell in the second half where we decided to give the ball away every single time we had it. Of course, it's a little bit easier to sit here with a smile, but of course, at that level, we will raise of course."
While some inconsistencies were on display, several Tottenham stars put in impressive individual performances. Fresh off a goal and assist in the 3-0 win over West Ham United, Bergvall shone again, and Rooney seemed blown away by how he played.
“Sometimes you forget how young he is because he played a lot of games last season, and the maturity with which he plays is fantastic," the Manchester United legend said on Amazon Prime Video.
“So he shows different sides to his game this season, last season he played a bit deeper, and to play as a number ten is not easy, it’s not easy to get on the ball and be in the right positions, but I thought today he showed the different side to his game, which will only improve him in the future.”
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Alan Shearer, who was on co-commentary for the game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, was also impressed by the 19-year-old and subsequently named him player of the match.
Frank has also spoken highly of Bergvall, and his comments after the London derby win this past weekend hint at the role he will likely play in the long term.
"First and foremost I think his performance was good today. I really like his energy, his pressing skill, his enthusiasm," he said.
“I think he drags the team with him, in a kind of way. And there is so much he can learn and improve. So I think that is promising as well. Fantastic goal. Well-timed run. Top ball from Romero. And a well-executed header.”
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