Well, Tottenham’s potential title claims didn’t last too long. It’s understandable given the sudden spate of injuries to key players and the suspensions. Add to this the return of players that Ange Postecoglou had swerved to the opportunity to work with and a decline was not so much on the cards as entirely inevitable.
Of course, It’s mildly amusing to hear fans begin mumbling again about whether players who have already failed us might be ‘able to do a job’, but for me, much of this crisis is self-inflicted. What on earth are the likes of Ben Davies and Eric Dier still doing at Spurs?
A billion-pound stadium, a top-ten spot cemented in the Deloitte Money League thanks to endless commercial deals, yet still relying on players that have not only let down countless coaches but are now too old and slow to meaningfully embrace Big Ange’s evidently winning system.
The excitement around the current Premier League season has fans and pundits alike across the board trying to work out who has the legs for what is always a marathon and never a sprint. One betting site asked former Manchester City and Republic of Ireland international Richard Dunne what he was making of it all. Spurs, Arsenal, and Liverpool have all started strongly, who do you think are going to be City’s biggest challengers this year? Richard replied:
‘City and Liverpool will be up there. I’m still not sure about Arsenal and if they can compete in all the different competitions. Is their squad big enough? People have already spoken about their lack of a centre forward. They’ve created their own problems in the goalkeeping department, which now seems to be a big issue. Tottenham have shown they’re just not strong enough with a few injuries. I’m more inclined to go with Liverpool.’
As much as it pains me to say it, Tottenham doesn’t look built for an outstanding season, even without European football. Any variation from the Aussie’s very best eleven spells disaster. Even making substitutions causes harm. Significant investment, which ENIC absolutely has, is urgently required. Indeed, anyone doubting this is in for abject humiliation this time next year, as Spurs could well snatch a place in Europe and this squad will end up in absolute tatters.
I’ve been making the case for at least twenty years, that this board regards injury as some terrible misfortune, the work of angry sporting gods. Football is a contact sport, and the sooner Daniel Levy stops sinking money into bad players and punts his coaches didn’t ask for and don’t want, the better. Younger and superior players, as per Destiny Udogie and Pape Matar Sarr are the way forward. We have so many players on our books that nobody has anything coherent to say about.
Back the damn manager.
