Tottenham’s defensive crisis worsens as Ben Davies suffers a setback, while hopes linger over Radu Dragusin’s return against Wolves.
Tottenham Hotspur’s injury crisis has reached an unprecedented level, leaving manager Ange Postecoglou grappling with a severely depleted squad ahead of Sunday’s crucial Premier League clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The situation took a dramatic turn when Ben Davies, the experienced Welsh international, suffered an unexpected setback in training, further straining an already stretched defensive line.
With Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven already sidelined, Postecoglou was forced to reshuffle his defence after Radu Dragusin was withdrawn due to an ankle injury.
The Romanian international’s exit compelled the manager to deploy midfielders Archie Gray and Yves Bissouma as makeshift centre-backs.
With limited options at his disposal, Postecoglou faces the daunting task of assembling a defensive unit capable of holding off a rejuvenated Wolves side.
Ange Postecoglou confirmed that Ben Davies, who had been working towards regaining full fitness, will be unavailable for at least two weeks following his recent training setback.
Addressing the media, as relayed by The Guardian, the Tottenham manager said, “He is ruled out. Unfortunately, he had a setback in training so he’ll probably be out for a couple of weeks.”
On the prospect of Radu Dragusin’s return, Postecoglou struck a more cautious note, explaining, “A bit early to tell. He obviously tweaked his ankle last night and felt he couldn’t continue. We’ll have to wait and see.”
While Dragusin’s recovery could be pivotal, uncertainty continues to loom large over his availability for Sunday’s match.
Reflecting on the broader defensive crisis, Postecoglou expressed his frustration, remarking, “We’re in a tough spot and we have been for a while.
“We’ve been kind of getting through it for quite a while and keeping our fingers crossed we do not get any more issues, but the nature of football and fixture scheduling we’ve had, we’ve always been on a fine line of being able to get through.
“It is another test for us, but it is what it is, and whatever we need to deal with, we’ll deal with and get ready for Sunday.”
Postecoglou acknowledged that this period marks the most challenging of his managerial career, with the potential absence of nine first-team players underscoring the scale of Tottenham’s struggles.
He candidly stated, “There’s always been issues at different times but not to this extent. I think we’ve had close to pretty consistently 10 first-team players not available for a significant run of games. Definitely a first for me.”
Although there remains hope that Dragusin could recover in time, the lack of a winter break has compounded Tottenham’s challenges.
Postecoglou weighed in on the scheduling, saying, “I do not know. I mean Yves has never played there [defence] so I am not sure why I would put him there. I had to put him there on Thursday because I had no one else, but we’ll see.”
He also pointed to the wider impact of fixture congestion across the league, observing, “I think you are seeing with the league this year and that is probably why it is so congested because a lot of teams – probably not to our extent – are affected by injuries.
“It is quite easy to pinpoint why. The workload players are expected to perform at, but I guess that is one for the authorities to sort out.”
As Tottenham prepare to face Wolves, the team’s resilience and tactical adaptability will be tested to their limits, and the onus will fall on Postecoglou’s ingenuity to navigate this storm.
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