Lamela: Spurs are not panicking after Champions League defeat

The atmosphere surrounding Tottenham Hotspur among supporters and the media is glum after Spurs dropped their third consecutive match, this time to Inter Milan in the Champions League. But if you ask Erik Lamela, he’ll tell you that the experience is galvanizing the Spurs squad, and that he and his teammates are not letting this run of form affect their spirits.

“No, I don’t think we’re losing our confidence. We still believe in each other in this team. That’s why we always fight until the end of the season. Of course, people are thinking like this. But inside the dressing room, I can tell you it’s not like this. We believe in this team.

“It’s time to win again. The way we played against Inter will help a lot but we have confidence in ourselves.”

Lamela admitted that he and his teammates were rattled by the ending, which saw Inter score two goals in eight minutes, including the 93rd minute winner.

“I don’t know honestly if we deserved to lose. In the second half, we scored and then we managed the game. They were tired, we should have scored more goals.

“I had a lot of chances. My teammates too. Their ‘keeper did well...sometimes the ball goes in. Tonight it wasn’t like this and they had two chances and they scored two goals.

“Football is like this sometimes. But there’s nothing to say. We have to improve and next time try to score and finish the game. That’s it.”

A lot of criticism has been leveled at Harry Kane, who did not attempt a shot in yesterday’s loss at the San Siro, and who has been nowhere near the form that he exhibited in the past few seasons. Some, including us, have suggested that Kane may be exhausted. Lamela dismissed those concerns, saying that Harry is fine and shouldn’t be expected to carry the scoring burden for Spurs at all times.

“Harry is not a machine. He scores a lot. Yesterday, he didn’t, and for two or three games he didn’t, but he will score again. It’s not like Harry needs to score every single game.

“Yesterday, Christian scored and I scored in the last game. Sonny will score, Lucas will score. All the pressure is not on Harry. All the attacking players need to score — and that’s it. [Inter] were tired, we should have scored more goals. I had a lot of chances but their keeper did well.”

That’s true. However, considering Spurs’ anemic output and finishing lately, it would be very nice if the not-Harry Kane players would start to put the ball in the back of the net sooner rather than later.

Spurs’ next chance to snap this losing streak comes this Saturday as Spurs travel to Brighton in Premier League action.