Tottenham Hotspur have faltered further in the Premier League, but it’s all paling into insignificance as the Europa League quarter-final second leg looms.
Spurs head over to Frankfurt to take on the Bundesliga’s third-placed club (17 April), and have been considered narrow underdogs as their season – and Ange Postecoglou’s future – hinges on the 90-120 minutes which are played out across the evening.
Postecoglou knows his reputation at Spurs rests on the Europa League, and many will not be content unless he triumphs to a first trophy in N17 for 17 years, given their domestic horror show.
Romero could be on his way out of Tottenham
Tottenham Hotspur fans have scalded many of their players for their drastically below-par performances for much of this season, as well as Postecoglou for his bewildering tactics, and Daniel Levy for his lack of consequent action.
The Europa League is the sole get-out, as yet another self-destructive league display on Sunday (13 April) saw Spurs go down 4-2 at Molineux to a lowly Wolves side.
Among those criticised heavily has been Cristian Romero, who drew the further wrath of the Tottenham fans after opting to trudge straight down the tunnel after the Wolves defeat rather than acknowledge the travelling crowd.
TV commentator and renowned European football expert Ian Darke has branded Romero “pathetic” for his display at Molineux, stating the Argentine’s errors since returning to fitness have been “comical”.
Darke also added, exclusively to Tottenham News, that Romero’s days are numbered in North London.
“It feels to me like he’s on his way out of the club. He’s had a series of errors since he came back to fitness,” Darke said.
“There was one against Bournemouth; he also made an error for Argentina against Brazil; and his mistake for one of the Wolves goals on Sunday was pathetic. It was comical.
“It is a concern. You wonder where his mind is. Tottenham just need him to pull out a World Cup-style performance in Frankfurt.”
Frankfurt battle beckons as Romero likely to start
Postecoglou is likely to start with his preferred central defensive partnership of Romero and Micky van de Ven in Frankfurt on Thursday.
The duo have both spent a large portion of this season injured, and have looked largely rusty in their performances ever since.
Spurs know the threat Eintracht carry – particularly up front through Hugo Ekitike after his goal in the first leg – and must put in their best defensive display to date.
Postecoglou will approach the game unpredictably – whether he opts for caution or gung-ho attacking football is frankly anyone’s guess at this point.
