Ange Postecoglou could be without a single senior centre-back for Tottenham Hotspur’s Premier League clash with a reinvigorated Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday, increasing the pressure on the Australian manager.
Spurs were consigned to a 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground on Christmas Day after a 6-3 battered of Liverpool’s hand in front of their own fans. The first-choice defensive duo of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven limped off during another calamitous Defeat by 4-3 against Chelsea earlier this month, leaving Postecoglou desperately short of defensive options.
Radu Dragusin had lined up alongside 18-year-old midfielder Archie Gray but limped off in the closing stages of Thursday’s defeat to Forest with an ankle injury. The spurs The boss warned it was “a bit early to tell” whether the 22-year-old Romanian would be fit for the visit of Wolves, but Ben Davies has been ruled out for “a couple of more weeks”.
Right-back Djed Spence eliminated one of Postecoglou’s few remaining defensive options by picking up a second yellow card in the 94th minute at the City Ground.
“We’re in a difficult moment,” admitted Postecoglou when addressing the media on Friday, “it’s been a while since we’ve been through it. We’ve been going through it for a long time and keeping our fingers crossed that we don’t get it. more problems for us it’s another test, but whatever we have to do, we’ll do it and get ready for Sunday.”
The former Celta boss has it come under fire to deploy an adventurous high defensive line even though the profile of available centre-backs may not suit this approach. The defiant manager has repeatedly insisted he will not compromise his principles, but admitted the squad would benefit from some defensive additions in January.
“It’s not just about bringing anyone in,” Postecology he warned, “but we certainly need to be reinforced if we can.”
As Spurs languish in the bottom half of the Premier League tablePostecoglou remained defiant. “I will continue to do what I think is the right thing to achieve the success of this club,” he stressed. “That does not change. The task is difficult because of our situation but, like most things that are quite difficult to go through, it is only temporary, we will get through it and come out stronger.”
