Erik Lamela's Display in the Europa League Could Be His Tottenham Turning Point

WHITE HART LANE, LONDON — Tottenham took control of their Europa League group with a brilliant 5-1 win over Asteras Tripolis. 

Harry Kane and Erik Lamela shared the billing with a pair of superb performances. Lamela's unforgettable rabona made the headlines, but Kane picked up a hat-trick that showed skill and intelligence in equal measure. He even took a turn in goal after Hugo Lloris received a late red card. 

Kane's star has been on the rise for some time. His burgeoning reputation has now swollen to the point that a regular starting role in the Premier League can't be far away. 

It was Lamela's performance, though, that may be the more significant for Tottenham's season. Spurs' record signing has been solid so far this year. In eight Premier League appearances, he has produced three assists, but failed to really excel.

A sensational goal for Argentina against Germany gave a tantalising hint at what he can do. 

His display against Asteras may prove to be the most important performance of his career. Having shown his best form, Lamela's career in England may finally be poised to take off. 

In the opening minutes, he had a handful of impressive touches.

He showed his strength to hold off defenders before digging out an excellent cross. Spurs failed to score but Lamela looked in the mood. 

Kane snatched his first just as the heady early momentum seemed to be dying down. In what is becoming his trademark goal, he ripped a shot across the face of the net, beating the keeper and tucking just inside the far post. 

Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press

Then, Erik Lamela scored a truly astonishing second.

Emmanuel Adebayor got caught in traffic on the edge of the area, but prodded the ball back to Lamela. Where any other player would have taken it on his right foot, Lamela produced a genuinely unbelievable rabona, curling his left foot behind his planted right and striking the ball with the outside of his boot. 

"

Lamela. CLASS https://t.co/5VhQ82mPKp

— DoubleBubble Tips (@Footy_Tipsters) October 23, 2014"

His teammates were bewildered by the strike. 

Many of the crowd won't have believed their own eyes. The collective intake of breath when the first replay played on the big screens was audible.

In the second half, the team seemed to sense that this was Lamela's chance to shine. Adebayor began looking for his teammate at every opportunity.

He unselfishly headed down to him on the edge of the area when he could have aimed for goal. Lamela's shot on the half-volley was blocked, but he was buzzing with confidence after his outrageous goal. 

Moving into a more central position, Lamela began picking up possession in deep areas and driving at the Asteras defence. 

At Roma, dribbling was vital to Lamela's game. At his best at high speed, Lamela is less effective in a static game. As he began to grow in confidence, he moved faster, exciting the crowd and terrifying the opposition. 

Adebayor drifted onto the left flank to provide an outlet, but he was scarcely needed as Lamela scattered the defenders time and again.

He seemed desperate to score his second. 

It finally came just after the hour when Lamela danced into the Asteras box, twisting and weaving past defenders. He tried to curl his shot with his right foot, but it was blocked. The rebound fell kindly for him and he hammered it past Kosicky at the near post on the half-volley. 

Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press

Lamela was withdrawn 10 minutes after scoring his second. Mauricio Pochettino said after the game "I never show emotion during the game." That was clear when Lamela approached the bench and he barely reacted.

The same could not be said of the rest of the stadium. A thunderous ovation greeted Lamela as he moved toward the touchline. High fives from his teammates and a look of real satisfaction on his face. Pochettino may have been the only person in the ground who wasn't smiling.

He had done his job. 

The last time Erik Lamela starred in a Europa League match was last November against Sheriff Tiraspol.

Vitalie Plotnic/Associated Press

He scored an excellent goal and won a penalty with a mazy run. Despite giving the first glimpse of his potential, he was dropped to the bench for the weekend's fixture. On that occasion the next fixture was also against Newcastle at home. Spurs lost the match 1-0 with Lamela reduced to the role of spectator. 

Shortly after that disappointing reverse, Lamela succumbed to a persistent back injury which later ruled him out for the season. 

Coincidentally, Spurs' next match comes against Newcastle at home. 

Pochettino won't repeat then-manager Andre Villas-Boas' mistake on Sunday. He admitted that Newcastle will pose a far greater threat, saying, "we expect a very difficult game. We know they are a very good team." 

He has shown faith in Lamela and he is now ready to be the key man in the 'difficult' games. Pochettino will surely select Lamela to start against Newcastle, and it would be oddly poetic if he were to produce another decisive display. 

Regardless, now is the time for Erik Lamela to seize his opportunity. A brilliant display in Europe can be the catalyst for Lamela exploding into life in the league. 

After the match, Asteras boss Staikos Vergetis said of Spurs, "Tottenham were more clinical, they showed their quality." He could have been speaking about Lamela, who has finally shown his quality in Europe and is now ready to be unleashed upon England.