Give slow-starter Janssen time: Pochettino

VINCENT T Janssen should not be judgedd on his lack of goals since joiningning Spurs from Dutch side de Alkmaar in the close season, said club manager nager Mauricio Pochettino ahead off his side’s Premier League game at t home to champions ns Leicester on Saturday. day.

The 22-yearold Dutchch international, who joined onn a fouryear contract tract for a reported ed fee of £17 million on ($22.3 million), scored only his second goal for the club in Tuesday’s ay’s 2-1 EFL Cup defeat by Liverpool.pool.

Both his is goals have come in that competition and from the penalty spot. “We are very happy with him,” P o c h e t t i n o told SpursTV SpursTV. “We need to understand he’s 22 years old and coming from the N e t h e r - lands. It’s a different league. We always need to give time. “One thing is clear, he’s a player that works a lot, is always involved and shows commitment in every game and every training session. “That could only pay off to score goals in the future.” Janssen, who in his sole season at Alkmaar scored 27 goals to top the league scoring chart, has not been able to suggest yet that he can pressure first choice striker Harry Kane, who is injured.

However, Janssen – who will hope he ends up in the category of Dutch league scorers succeeding in the Premier League like Ruud van Nistelrooy than flops like Mateja Kezman at Chelsea – said his confidence has not dipped despite the lack of goals.

“It’s just a penalty and you have to score it. I have enough confidence, it doesn’t matter to me where it was or how long I haven’t scored for.

Southgate backs Vardy

Meanwhile, England caretaker boss Gareth Southgate yesterday backed Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy to rediscover his best form after suffering his worst scoring drought in almost two years.

Vardy, one of 30 players shortlisted for the Ballon d’Or this week, has not scored in his last 10 appearances for club and country and was dropped by Foxes coach Claudio Ranieri last weekend.

Last season Vardy found the net in a record 11 successive Premier League matches with his 24 goals helping spur Leicester towards their improbable title triumph.

However, the 29-year-old has scored just three times this term and was left out of Leicester’s starting line-up for the first time in the league since March 2015 in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Crystal Palace.

“All goalscorers have periods where they are not scoring. History and records over the years shows you what they are likely to fall back into and his scoring record is phenomenal,” Southgate said.

“I have played with Alan Shearer when he went through the same – and Andy Cole. Over a long period of time, if they have a record of one in two or one in three, they will come back to that.”

Vardy endured a run of 23 matches without a goal between September 2014 – after he inspired a famous 5-3 win over Manchester United – and March 2015, but finished jointsecond behind Harry Kane in last season’s scoring chart.

The striker was on target in Leicester’s 2-1 defeat to United in the Community Shield and netted in successive games against Swansea City and Liverpool in August and September but the goals have since dried up.