JERMAINE JENAS EXCLUSIVE: Lamela and Pochettino show the way for Memphis and LVG

It was interesting to see that Erik Lamela notched his fourth goal in five games against Watford on Monday. He's certainly picked up this season and the numbers prove it. He's already managed more Premier League goals this season after 17 games than he had in his previous two seasons combined.

I remember watching him early on in his Spurs' career and I'd just get frustrated. I thought he looked slow and lightweight, he was most definitely a fish out of water. Even at the start of the season I questioned why they were persisting with him when they had someone like Andros Townsend on the bench chomping at the bit to play. He was clearly struggling to adapt to the English game.

[THIERRY HENRY: ARSENAL SHOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT SPURS' IN TITLE RACE]

Now he looks like a different player. I've watched him this season and he's been charging round, looking determined, and I think a lot of the credit for that has to go to Mauricio Pochettino. I've spoken to some of the boys at the club and Pochettino's methods – including double sessions in the lead up to Christmas – are clearly paying dividends. In the case of Lamela, he looks fitter, faster, and he's starting to take players on, which is what he's supposed to do as an attacking midfielder.

Looking at his play recently I've noticed something important - he's working harder. It sounds obvious, but running more and showing more effort is a strong foundation for success. When I was at QPR we sat down for an end of season meeting during which we broke down why we were relegated. One thing that stood out to me during the discussion was the fact we were the lowest in the league for things like distance covered and high intensity sprints. We were poor in a lot of the elements relating to work rate.

I look at Manchester United's Memphis Depay and I wonder if it's a lesson he could benefit from. He arrived in the Premier League with a similar reputation to Lamela, a wonderkid ready to wear number seven, but it hasn't happened for him yet. Giving the team energy and working hard is a great way to get the fans on your side, which in turn can build confidence. That can be really important when you move to a new club, as it's often a lonely experience.

[HOW DIER GAVE POCHETTINO AND HODGSON YET MORE FOOD FOR THOUGHT]

[POCHETTINO GETS FLEIXBLE: 5 THINGS WE LEARNED FROM SPURS 2-1 WATFORD]

When I joined Newcastle at 18, Freddy Shepherd called me to say he'd organised a house for me in Jesmond. I sat inside this big empty place all by myself, not knowing what to do, and I just felt very lonely. Thankfully the next day Kieron Dyer called me up and said he was coming to pick me up. When people like him, Gary Speed and Craig Bellamy would make an effort to to help me settle in it made my adjustment much easier. I quickly began to love Newcastle but it didn't completely stop me missing home.

That's where I think Sir Bobby Robson really came into his own as a manager. He understood that I felt like I was a million miles away from home and so he'd come to me before a game and say, “Look JJ, put in a top performance today and you can go home for a few days. I won't need to see you until Tuesday or Wednesday.”

I'd go out onto the pitch flying around like a mad man because I knew if I impressed him I could head back home for a few days. In the same regard, he would take me to one side and give me a talking to if I'd made a mistake or done something I shouldn't have. While I don't know what kind of conversations Pochettino has had with Lamela, his change in attitude is clear to see and that, for me, is the sign of a good manager, when they know how to get the best out of each individual player.

[TOTTENHAM FAN VIEW: SPURS' HALF-TERM REPORT CARD]

Part of that is also explaining the language of the football club to a new signing. For example, when I arrived at Newcastle, Nolberto Solano told me to make surging runs into the box rather than coming short to him so he could find me with crosses. At Spurs they wanted to use me in a totally different role to the one I'd been playing with Newcastle. Martin Jol explained to me that I'd be on the right of a midfield three, with Michael Carrick sitting deeper and Edgar Davids on the left.

I didn't necessarily understand my role in the team and so I was unsure where I should be collecting the ball from. I remember I had some heated exchanges with the manager about the situation and there were a number of times I left the pitch frustrated at my own performance, even if the team had won that day.

I think that's also why it's important to have patience with a new arrival. I almost left Spurs because of those early frustrations and I see why some foreign players opt to move on after a bad first year. When Luka Modric arrived at the club from Dinamo Zagreb he took 18 months to settle into his best position. He started in the hole, before moving out to the left, before finally cementing his place in central midfield.

For Lamela, not only did he have to try and find his role, he also had to deal with the notion that he was Gareth Bale's replacement. The problem with that is they're totally different players, and Pochettino appreciates that. He'll know the clubs Lamela has played for and will no doubt have spoken to the right people about him. That means he'll have been able to sit down with him and explain how he wants to use him in the team. Not only has that had a massive impact on Lamela's season but also Spurs' too, and I think Pochettino deserves immense credit for that.