As injuries strike Tottenham once again, Ange Postecgolou is forced to rely on squad players who would usually not be starting as many games. One Spurs defender has now been told that he isn’t up to the standard of Premier League football.
Injuries forced Tottenham’s hand against Chelsea
The disappointment after Tottenham’s 4-3 loss against Chelsea started to reach fever-pitch. Spurs’ early 2-0 lead made it seem as if the team’s fortunes were turning.
However, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Brennan Johnson were all forced to leave the field prematurely. Tottenham’s squad depth was already lessened due to the absence of Wilson Odobert, Richarlison, Ben Davies, Mikey Moore and Guglielmo Vicario. Spurs’ substitutions were all forced with little other means to affect the game from the sidelines, which eventually led to Tottenham’s resilience crumbling.
It seems as if each week, Tottenham have fewer players they can turn to and the ones who are available are seeing errors enter their game due to overuse and fatigue.
Radu Dragusin described as ‘not good enough’
Speaking to BBC Radio Five Live Football Daily Podcast, former midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker, has criticised Tottenham centre-back Radu Dragusin.
Reo-Coker said (Premier League Review): “Injuries are a part of football, yes. You question Romero and van de Ven starting whether they were fully fit enough to start, and you lose two of your centre-backs.
“As soon as Dragusin comes in, he’s starting to show now maybe that the Premier League is a bit too much for him.”
At the start of the season, the expectation would have been that Dragusin would generally start in Europa League fixtures and other cup matches.
The fact he has played in over half of Tottenham’s Premier League games, often situated on the left or without either of the first-choice centre-backs, is symbolic of how injuries are affecting Spurs’ season.
If you are going to criticise Dragusin, it’s necessary to be specific
There is such little value in suggesting the Premier League is ‘too much’ for a player. There are legitimate arguments to suggest that Dragusin being in Spurs’ team might hinder them.
His ability in possession makes it harder for Tottenham to play effectively from the back and allows the opposition to mark teammates and press Dragusin harder.
That being said, when he is tasked with box defending, Dragusin is imperious for a 22-year-old. He reads danger well and plays out bravely even while under pressure. Additionally, he looks far better when paired with a left-footed partner next to him (particularly Van de Ven).
There is little to suggest that playing in the Premier League as a whole is beyond his capabilities. Unfortunately, Tottenham’s tactical set-up does expose his weaknesses more than highlights his strengths. However, he is an extremely talented player and would fit in perfectly to any side that required a little less from their centre-backs in build-up.
