Erik Lamela was the poster-boy for Tottenham squandering the Gareth Bale money for much of his first season in London.
The Argentine cost a club-record £35m from Roma after a fine goalscoring season in the Italian capital, but failed to scale the same heights at White Hart Lane.
There was talk of the attacking midfielder returning to the continent, but Mauricio Pochettino found a solution – he turned him into a snide bastard of a defensive winger, and what a snide bastard he has become of late.
https://twitter.com/robbro7/status/706907420270989312
Lamela played a huge role in Spurs’ title challenge last season, but some fans have missed his attacking flair.
Not to worry, though, as he showed us he can still do that stuff too with this spectacular strike in a pre-season friendly against Internazionale.
🎥 A simply stunning strike from @ErikLamela in Oslo! Sit back and enjoy… #COYShttps://t.co/GMtungJbsV
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) August 5, 2016
If Spurs can combine the cynical tackling with the Roma-era flair, they’ve got themselves one hell of a player, and don’t their fans know it.
Really expecting Lamela to do big things this season. I've backed him through his bad spells but now is his time. Looks in great shape too!
— James O'Mahoney (@JamesMahoney10) August 5, 2016
https://twitter.com/HerbMcDerb/status/761592614571343872
https://twitter.com/Chazzli/status/761592459453403137
Always said Lamela was a baller. Fucking gonna smash it this season
— Tristan Jameson Cook (@spursfantristan) August 5, 2016
Even supporters of other clubs are starting to get a little excited. It might still be pre-season, but it’s impossible to ignore strikes like this altogether.
https://twitter.com/KloppsGang/status/761592785921269760
Erik Lamela 👀. He's going to have a stellar season soon in the PL
— Pranav (@Pranav_CFC) August 5, 2016
And you know the best thing about that goal? It’s still not close to his best in a Tottenham shirt. That honour goes to this effort against Asteras in the 2014/15 Europa League, which we’re sure you remember very well.
Erik Lamela contra el Asteras Tripolis. Europa League 2014/15. #UnGolUnPotrero pic.twitter.com/wwR49Xu5X1
— En Una Baldosa (@enunabaldosa) June 6, 2016
