With a crucial period of fixtures on the horizon, Tottenham Hotspur’s squad depth is being pushed to its limit, and the looming threat of suspension for six players adds another layer of difficulty for Ange Postecoglou to navigate.
As the Premier League edges closer to the midway point of the season, clubs are reminded of the fine disciplinary margins that can dictate the outcome of their campaigns.
According to league rules, players who accumulate five yellow cards within the first 19 matches face a one-game suspension, a penalty that has already impacted Tottenham this term.
Yves Bissouma missed last weekend’s emphatic 5-0 victory over Southampton after collecting his fifth booking during the prior clash against Chelsea.
The timing could not be more critical, with Tottenham approaching a trio of vital fixtures: Liverpool on Sunday, followed by Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day and Wolves shortly after.
The conclusion of the Wolves match will mark the season’s halfway point, at which disciplinary thresholds change. Beyond that stage, suspensions will be imposed only after ten bookings across the first 32 matches.
As things stand, Tottenham Hotspur have several key players edging dangerously close to a one-match ban.
Four players—Brennan Johnson, Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, and Pape Matar Sarr—have already picked up three yellow cards across the opening 16 games of the season.
The quartet must avoid bookings in two of the next three matches to steer clear of a one-game suspension.
However, it is Rodrigo Bentancur who remains the player most at risk, having already accumulated four yellow cards.
After completing his seven-match ban in time for the Boxing Day clash at Nottingham Forest, the Uruguayan midfielder will need to tread carefully in the Forest and Wolves matches.
A booking in either game could see him miss Tottenham’s high-stakes encounter against Newcastle United.
Meanwhile, Micky van de Ven, another Tottenham player on four bookings, appears set to avoid suspension owing to his current injury.
Though this provides a temporary reprieve, the strain on the squad is evident as Postecoglou continues to balance his available resources amidst an unforgiving schedule.
Tottenham’s squad is already under severe strain, with ten first-team players sidelined due to injuries.
Any further suspensions could see Postecoglou relying on youth players to fill gaps, a scenario far from ideal in the heat of a demanding Premier League campaign.
The absence of James Maddison and Pape Matar Sarr in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Liverpool, due to their earlier suspensions, serves as a stark warning of what could lie ahead.
With so many players walking a disciplinary tightrope, maintaining composure will be paramount.
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