'Crazy' Tottenham star is singled out as an 'easy target' for opponents as ex-Spurs striker explains major reason for his old side's struggles

Romero, who fills the armband for Spurs, has made more unfortunate headlines this season. He openly criticised the team’s recruitment policy following a 2-2 draw with Manchester City that saw him take to the field despite feeling unwell. He posted on social media after that contest: “I wanted to be available to help them even though I wasn’t feeling well, especially as we had only 11 players available – unbelievable but true and disgraceful.”

In Tottenham’s following fixture, Romero picked up a red card during a clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford. That dismissal proved costly as Spurs slipped to a 2-0 defeat. Danish coach Thomas Frank lasted just one more game - a loss to Newcastle - before being relieved of his managerial duties.

Spurs, who are now working under interim boss Igor Tudor, have slumped to 16th in the Premier League table - just five points clear of the relegation zone. Questions are being asked of whether they will be dragged into a battle for survival.

Ex-Tottenham striker Zamora - speaking via Northerner - told GOAL when asked why Spurs are finding the going so tough: “For me, I still look at their defence, and that’s probably how I have looked at them for maybe four or five years. I don’t ever look at the centre-halves, or the back four, and go ‘you are an organised unit’.

“Romero is crazy. Every single week I think you can get a penalty out of him, or you have always got a chance of winding him up and getting him sent off. For me as a striker, that would be an easy target every single week - stick one on him, he’s going to retaliate and off he goes, down to 10 men. 

“They just don’t seem solid enough and you need to build your foundations from that. There has been a lot about that Arsenal team conceding goals, and that Chelsea team - [John] Terry, [Ricardo] Carvalho, [William] Gallas, that was a good back four and you need to build from a defensive aspect and then go forward and have a couple of boys that can create chances and score goals.”

Zamora is not the only onlooker to have spotted serious faults in Romero’s game, with ex-Premier League manager Sam Allardyce of the opinion that the World Cup winner should have leadership duties taken off him.

Former England boss Allardyce has said: “Cristian Romero is one of those typical players who just does not learn. He has got so much talent, but so many flaws which he has not eradicated. He is still making the same mistakes as when he first signed for Tottenham

“Either he gets stripped of the captaincy, or someone says to him, ‘stay on your feet, I do not want you to go to ground when you tackle anymore’, and if he continues to do it, then take him out of the side. 

“He is giving his managers a bad reputation for not being able to control him. If you are a centre-half, your first priority is being a defender, not how good you are with the ball – that is only an added bonus.”

Zamora has warned Spurs that they can “probably only go under the radar for two years” before they are no longer considered part of the Premier League’s fabled ‘Big Six’. They finished 17th last season, despite winning the Europa League under Ange Postecoglou.

The current campaign has been a struggle again and things are not about to get any easier as Tudor’s first game at the helm will be a north London derby date with arch-rivals Arsenal on Sunday.