FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Leicester City v Tottenham Hotspur - King Power Stadium, Leicester, Britain - February 11, 2023 Tottenham Hotspur's Rodrigo Bentancur receives medical attention REUTERS/Molly Darlington
Tottenham Hotspur return to action this weekend against Wolverhampton Wanderers in an early kick-off on Saturday… and it will be a totally different side.
Only four Spurs players who started the 4-1 hammering of Chelsea remained on the pitch at full time, as the Lilywhites were sent off twice and sustained a handful of injuries in the thrilling Monday night rivalry.
However, it leaves Ange Postecoglou with multiple questions about how to re-jig what has been a stable team thus far. So, will Tottenham field an inexperienced lineup? Something astonishingly avant-garde? Is there anything to be concerned about?
Tottenham Hotspur’s injuries and suspensions: Cristian Romero
Let’s start with the obvious: Cristian Romero will miss the next three games, against Wolves, Aston Villa, and, most sadly, Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, after receiving a straight red card for a lunge on Raheem Sterling.
Unless Spurs appeal the sending-off (which looks odd) and the card is rescinded (even more unlikely, given that reckless tackle), this is a rather straightforward case. Eric Dier, who replaced the Argentine after his early bath, would most likely be moved to right-sided center-back.
Ange Postecoglou: “We Want To Achieve Things That Have Never Been Achieved Before”
Before we get to the other dismissal, Micky van de Ven’s injury may be more pressing. Following the Dutchman’s injury, Tottenham were deprived of both first-choice center-backs, which looked bad.
Van de Ven appeared to have a pulled hamstring and had to be assisted off the pitch by a man on either shoulder. Ange Postecoglou agreed later in his press conference that he had no chance of running that one off the weekend.
“You’re thinking it’s a pretty significant one, so you’d assume he’ll be out for a little while,” the Aussie said. The crucial defender appears to be out for at least four weeks.
Destiny Udogie
Destiny Udogie was fortunate to avoid a red card in the first half, but he can’t grumble about a second yellow card later on. He’ll be suspended for one game, leaving Postecoglou a conundrum for Saturday.
Udogie’s backup, Ivan Perisic, is out with a complicated Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury. In the absence of Postecoglou’s first-choice central combination, Emerson Royal, a right-back by trade, might fill in on the opposite side of the ball, giving teenager Ashley Phillips his maiden Premier League start in the heart of defence.
However, the more intriguing possibility may be the most likely. Postecoglou chose Royal to slot in at center-back off the bench, relying on his speed from the high line, exactly as Van de Ven has done all season. Spurs may do the same against Wolves in a game in which they intend to dominate and have more possession, employing Brennan Johnson as a makeshift left-back.
James Maddison
As if the defensive problems weren’t enough, James Maddison was forced off against Chelsea due to an ankle issue. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg took over for England’s captain, who wobbled in the first half.
Fortunately, Madders appears set to return against Wolves, with Postecoglou noting that he didn’t want to risk his No.10 after a knock in the first half, taking him out with a stoppage because they were already a man down.=
“We were down one man already,” stated the Lilywhites’ supervisor. “It made sense to make a couple of changes at that point.”
