‘I Think He Should Understand’ – Former Star Warns Tottenham Hotspur Man | OneFootball

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Mario Melchiot is of the opinion that Tottenham Hotspur captain Cristian Romero was asking to be sent off against Liverpool and thinks that he has enough experience to understand how he should act in games.

Tottenham’s clash with Liverpool on Saturday saw the Lilywhites receive two red cards and ultimately fall 2-1 to Arne Slot’s side in the Premier League.

A first-half reckless challenge from Xavi Simons reduced Spurs to ten men and captain Romero then compounded their woes, picking up a second yellow for a confrontation with Ibrahima Konate in stoppage time.

Melchiot noted that Romero’s intensity and desire are key parts of his game and does concede they should not be taken away, warning that doing so could be counterproductive.

However, he underlined that Romero’s role as captain carries added responsibility, particularly the need to remain composed and available for his team.

Pointing to his experience and career highs, the Dutchman stressed that the World Cup winner should know better how to manage his emotions and control his approach to the game.

He said on ESPN FC’s Extra Time (2:03): “I think when I watch Romero, I think I don’t want to take away his eagerness and the drive that he has as a player because I think that will not make him a better player, and I have seen this happen before with a Dele Alli player.

“You know, when they start pinching that and taking it away, I don’t think we saw the old-school Dele anymore.

“So, Romero, I don’t want the same to happen too, but one thing I want to say is that if you’re the captain, you’ve got to make sure that your team can rely on you staying on the pitch.

“You cannot lose your head like that.

“The way he was gone, it was almost like asking the referee, give me another booking, give me another foul, give me another.

“He has gone through his career; he has experienced so many highs in his career already.

“I think he should understand how the game needs to be played, and I think he needs to play the game like that.”

Romero’s red card in stoppage time means he will miss Tottenham’s trip to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace on 28th December, leaving the Lilywhites without their key defender against the eighth-placed side.

The Argentine has had issues with discipline throughout his time at Tottenham so far and former boss Ange Postecoglou was asked about whether he had spoken to him about it.

Postecoglou though suggested that being a physical player is who Romero is and when he oversteps then he does pay the price.