Honeymoon’s over for Ange
SPURS BOSS GIVEN ANOTHER REALITY CHECK... HE NEEDS TO FIND A JANUARY FIX TO REMAIN IN TOP-FOUR HUNT
JANUARY will define Tottenham’s season – for more reasons than one.
But before they seek comfort in the opening of the transfer window, they must navigate another awkward banana skin in high-flying Bournemouth today, following Thursday’s alarming 4-2 defeat at Brighton.
The unsettling stat for Spurs is that no Premier League side has claimed more points (19) than Andoni Iraola’s red-hot Cherries in the past seven matches – a period in which Tottenham have lost four top-flight games.
While Ange Postecoglou’s side have undoubtedly been hampered by injuries, they can no longer serve as an excuse for incompetent performances.
The Aussie coach has rightfully received glowing praise for transforming into positive energy so much of the ill-feeling that plagued Spurs last season.
It was not so long ago that attending Tottenham matches had become a chore for their supporters, who were struggling to relate to the directionless team.
Now Spurs have an identity again, but identity does not guarantee results – as Postecoglou has swiftly established.
The honeymoon period now appears to be well and truly over.
His calamitous makeshift central defensive pairing of Emerson Royal and Ben Davies were run ragged by Joao Pedro at Brighton and they will once again have their hands full trying to nullify electric Cherries frontman Dominic Solanke. As they made
their way out onto the Amex turf at full-time for postmatch sprint work, Eric Dier and teenage prospect Ashley Phillips must have been wondering what they have to do to get minutes in Postecoglou’s defence
Spurs also lack discipline. Yves Bissouma has served two games of a four-match ban following his second red card of the season at Nottingham Forest. He’s banned until mid-january, when he is due to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations – which runs from January 13 to February 11 – with Mali.
Fellow midfielder Pape Sarr is also heading for the tournament with Senegal, while Heung-min Son is going to the Asian Cup – January 12 to February 10 – with South Korea. Dejan Kulusevski is also banned today after receiving his fifth yellow card of the campaign for a mindless tug of Danny Welbeck’s shirt – just days after escaping punishment for the same offence on Everton’s Amadou Onana.
Cristian Romero, Rodrigo Bentancur, Manor Solomon, Ryan Sessegnon and Ivan Perisic remain sidelined, while Micky van de Ven and James Maddison could return in early 2024.
Tottenham must regroup in their absence and new faces would certainly help.
A new centre-back – namely Nice’s Jean-clair Todibo (above) – is Spurs’ transfer priority. A forward and midfielder are also on their agenda.