Tottenham Hotspur find themselves in a precarious position, sitting 9th in the Premier League with only 10 points from their first seven games. Expectations had been, and still are high with sights on a Champions League spot and hopes of some silverware this season.
However Big Ange’s men have had an underwhelming start, marred by a dramatic collapse in their most recent match against Brighton.
Leading 2-0 at halftime at the Amex, Spurs’ defensive vulnerabilities were ruthlessly exposed as Brighton stormed back to win 3-2, underscoring the frailties that have haunted the club throughout the season.
It’s evident Ange likes to play expansive attacking football, a fresh approach at Tottenham compared to their previous managers like Conte and Mourinho.
But this kind of football and gung-ho approach has shown what look to be significant cracks in Spurs’ defense.
At the back
One such crack was seen during their Brighton collapse. Full-backs Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro, while brilliant going forward, were exposed defensively, a point highlighted by pundit Jeff Stelling.
He further noted that Postecoglou has “an issue” with both full-backs defensively, as their lack of positional awareness and tactical discipline is costing the team.
This leads us perfectly into the defensive depth concerns Tottenham face.
With Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero the only senior, reliable centre-back options, Spurs’ defensive depth is alarmingly thin.
Ben Davies – traditionally a left back, has filled in on occasion, but the constant chopping and changing in defense has hampered consistency.
But it seems to be all under control for Postecoglou who feels the squad depth at centre back is not an issue as he has shown faith in youngster Archie Gray.
Gray was one of Tottenham’s biggest acquisitions of the summer transfer window, arriving from Leeds United.
The 18-year-old is nominally a central midfielder but is also comfortable playing as a full-back.
Postecoglou also gave the teenager minutes at centre-back during pre-season and believes he could provide a solution in that position if required.
“I think Archie can play centre-back. He’s obviously played full-back, played midfield, played probably left-back. He’s a pretty versatile player and that’s one of the reasons we were really excited to bring him to the club,” said Ange during his arrival.
But while Gray has Ange’s backing, Tottenham are rumored to be in the race for Everton centre back Jarrad Branthwaite. He could be the perfect alternative option to Van de Ven who is known to be injury prone.
The 21-year-old English international has been one of the Premier League’s standout young defenders, attracting interest from multiple clubs, including merseyside rivals Liverpool.
Another name that has recently come into the picture is of Lecce’s Patrick Dorgu.
Tottenham were unable to secure a deal for the young left-back in the summer, but Lecce’s sporting director, Stefano Trinchera, has admitted that Dorgu could move in the near future.
“He is one of our young players, who are being looked at by many important clubs,” Trinchera told Tutto Mercato, hinting at a possible winter move.
Bringing in Dorgu would provide a much-needed alternative to Udogie, who, despite his impressive first season, has struggled defensively this campaign.
While Dorgu will most definitely play second fiddle, it provides healthy competition for Udogie.
Midfield
Moving to an area of lesser concern is Spurs’ midfield.
James Maddison has gotten off to a great start in his #10 role with 2 goals and 2 assists. But these performances haven’t stopped the rumor mill as Spurs have been linked to Palace talisman Eberechi Eze.
The creative midfielder was a concrete target for many clubs alongside Olise, who eventually departed for Bayern.
Spurs monitored him last summer but the issue in bringing Eze lies in his contract situation.
The midfielder has signed a deal till 2027 meaning Spurs will have to dish out a hefty fee for his services.
Up the pitch
To address their left wing issues where they currently house only Werner and Son, Spurs have been linked to Villa’s Jacob Ramsey.
A big money move speculated to be around £45m could be on the cards, with both Arsenal and Spurs interested.
Further up the pitch Samu Omorodion, the 20-year-old Porto striker, has caught the attention of Tottenham scouts.
After a stunning start to the season, scoring seven goals in six appearances, Omorodion’s stock has risen significantly. His valuation has reportedly tripled since joining Porto from Atletico Madrid for £13 million, and Tottenham’s interest is clear.
Although it’ll be interesting to see if Spurs prioritize this move as they signed Dominic Solanke this summer to be their main man up top. Omorodion could be a viable back up option especially after the departure of Troy Parrott who has found his feet in the Eredivisie for AZ Alkmaar.
Ange Out
While there is no doubt that Ange has had a positive impact on Tottenham’s football, there are a few whispers of “Ange out.”
The ‘Ange out’ talk is barely above a whisper but it’s there and surely only going to get louder.
The fixtures upto January and the January window itself could prove pivotal for Spurs and their ambitions. Tottenham must navigate fierce competition in the market, and Levy’s reputation for hard-nosed negotiations won’t help them.
Can they return to the Champions League conversation, or will defensive collapses like the one against Brighton continue to define their season? And will it be Angeball till the end of the season or will we see a new face amongst the Lilywhites?
