Breaking Down the Enigma That Is Tottenham's Erik Lamela

The mystery of getting the best out of Erik Lamela is in a certain sense the conundrum that has dogged the entire Tottenham team during the 2014/15 season. When the Argentine and his cohorts are in top form, the north London side have put in some spectacular performances. 

But when things fail to click, Mauricio Pochettino's men can look distinctly mediocre, even poor out on the field. It is a mystery that has heightened the pressure on the Argentine coach, even if he insists (via Sky Sports) that he is enjoying life under the spotlight. 

"It's a good thing to be criticised for a manager. Everyone in the world is criticised," the ex-Southampton man admitted, with Spurs treading water in the Premier League mid-table region. 

"It's a difficult thing to have all people agree with you and to make everyone happy. Our job is difficult, I understand it."

Pochettino may be able to understand that unease with the team's recent performances and exasperating inconsistency. But there are other aspects of the squad that are less easy to comprehend. The infuriating form of his countryman in Tottenham's creative engine room ranks highly. 

On the face of it, Lamela's record so far is fairly decent. The former River Plate prodigy has contributed four assists in 10 Premier League appearances, adding two more goals in the Europa League and a further strike against Brighton in the League Cup. That European double came against Asteras Tripoli, and one of them will be remembered for a long time on compilations of football's most outrageous golazos. 

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"@FutVine: Erick Lamela ... Tremendo GOLAZO DE RABONA  https://t.co/hnFPtq0Ght" @AxelVava

— Carloss (@CarlosmelendezL) November 5, 2014"

But there have been far too many ups and downs. The Tottenham faithful have seen the frustration of Lamela setting up a goal against Arsenal with a wonderful pass, only to gift their archrivals the next strike with an awful moment of inattention. It encapsulates the enigma that is the young Argentine forward; one game, an assist at both ends. It is enough to make a diehard supporter break down in tears. 

Speaking after that Asteras game, as reported by The Guardian's James Riach, the youngster recognised that more goals had to start flying in for his Tottenham form to reach the heights he managed in Roma:

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The goal was important for me but also because I needed to score, any type of goal. I’m happy for the goal and the win. I hope to continue in this way but it’s just one game for me. I need to think about doing other things well and continuing to improve.

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Most observers that have followed the Tottenham roller-coaster ride this season, where they have secured back-to-back Premier League wins on just one occasion (the first two fixtures against West Ham and Queens Park Rangers), would nod in enthusiastic agreement. But what is holding this obviously talented player back from consistent greatness? 

Goal's Liam Twomey mused from White Hart Lane following that now-infamous Rabona:

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Lamela’s road to acceptance at White Hart Lane has already been a long and tortuous one. For a while it seemed the challenge of adapting from Serie A to the Premier League, compounded by a language barrier and managers unreceptive to his needs, threatened to ruin his career.

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It is hard to disagree. One could also add the millstone of a club record transfer fee around his neck as another factor inhibiting his performance. 

The fact that Lamela was brought in to replace no less a player than Gareth Bale—a winger with far less technical ability but impeccable physical assets—when the Welshman went to Real Madrid again played against him. The Argentine is a more subtle, considered footballer than his predecessor, and perhaps a team accustomed to playing with that express train down the left could not immediately compute the needs of their new, cerebral companion in the moments that really mattered. 

Or perhaps the problem was even more prosaic. Having become accustomed to playing off the ingenious talents and creative brains of Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi, as well as the machine-like work rate of United States international Michael Bradley, Lamela simply was not getting the service he was used to from his new, rather more limited team-mates. 

Larry French/Associated Press

In just over a year at White Hart Lane, the young forward has already turned more metaphorical corners than a Formula One driver. He has seen more false dawns than the most veteran farmer. Every brilliant performance from the Argentine has been accompanied by the hope that his teething problems in England are now behind him and that all that lies ahead is years of brilliant performances and a trophy cabinet set to overflow for the long-suffering Spurs faithful. 

It is not so simple. For all his maturity, Lamela is still only 22 years old, finding his feet in the game. Bad performances will continue to appear from time to time. Maybe the enigma of Erik Lamela is that there really is no enigma at all. What Tottenham have is a brilliant prospect who still needs time to develop into the final product that anyone who saw him bust onto the scene in a struggling River team three years ago knows he can be. 

The kid is on the right track. Every game brings him a little closer to his best, and while there could be bumps along the way, Spurs must trust that their £30 million man is capable of becoming one of the world's greatest attacking threats.