Pundit says 25-year-old Tottenham player isn’t getting the plaudits he deserves this season

Robbie Earle has suggested that he likes Cristian Romero more every time he watches the Tottenham Hotspur centre-back, as he lauded his excellent performance in the win at the weekend.

Earle was speaking on The 2 Robbies podcast after Spurs went into the international break at the top of the Premier League, keeping a clean sheet in their victory at Luton Town.
Cristian Romero has been a revelation at the start of this season. Had Tottenham fans been told at the end of the last campaign that the Argentinian would be a vice-captain in a back five where he is, by a decent amount, the oldest defender, they would have been panicking

But Spurs have put together an outstanding unit. Guglielmo Vicario has been a brilliant replacement for Hugo Lloris. Micky van de Ven has been another inspired signing. And the club are being vindicated for the deals to sign Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie.

Cristian Romero back to his best for Tottenham

Understandably, those players are attracting a lot of praise. But Robbie Earle believes that Romero’s performances alongside them cannot go under the radar.

“What I’ve seen under Ange, Rob, is a more tempered, controlled Romero,” he told The 2 Robbies. “There’s still been a bit of fire in there once or twice. I’ve seen a Romero who can pick a pass out from the right side with van de Ven, hit a nice, long diagonal, step into midfield if he has to and start an overload. I’ve seen a Romero who’s happy to go one on one and defend when they squeeze in and the full-backs go on. We’ve seen a Romero who scores the goal at Brentford, has a concussion, wants to stay on. His manager drags him off disappointed and wants to play. I’ve seen a guy who looks to me, at 25 years of age, as though he’s enjoying the maturity and the responsibility being in a young team, next to a young centre-back.

“And every time I see him, I like him more. And the little bit of fire, I just think John Terry had a little bit of that fire that made him different, and Nemanja Vidic had a little bit of fire. They could play and they’d put their head in there. I don’t mind that in a team.

“And Cristian Romero’s one of those players who won’t get the plaudits because it’ll be Maddison and Sonny and van de Ven’s come in, and those full-backs. Cristian Romero has been sneaky good for them this season. I thought he was excellent at the weekend.”

Inspired vice-captain choice for Spurs

Romero’s quality was never in question. He was brilliant during his first year in North London. And of course, he lifted the World Cup less than 12 months ago.

But his form for Tottenham last season left many baffled. He did not play like a leader last year. In fact, he proved to be a liability on a number of occasions.

But Ange Postecoglou has got the best out of him once again. Romero has been an amazing choice of vice-captain. And he looks to be relishing the chance to lead the likes of van de Ven, Udogie and Porro.

Heading into the summer, it appeared to be in everyone’s best interests for Tottenham to sell Romero. But now Spurs have someone who is playing like a World Cup winner in their ranks.