Tottenham have faced with recurring injuries to some of its top players this season, but the team’s ambition and belief in the club have helped them through difficult times.
Richarlison, who missed nearly a month of football earlier this season, and Rodrigo Bentancur, who has only appeared in six games this season, both scored in Tottenham’s 2-2 draw with Manchester United over the weekend.
Injuries have rocked the club all season, and there’s enough to say about how the absences have impacted the team’s performance, player morale, momentum, fan support, and belief in the new manager. However, little has been spoken about how the team has exploited the difficulty to work harder than ever before, doubling down on their commitment to the Ange-ball project, which is currently ongoing in North London.
After losing their all-time leading goal-scorer this summer, Tottenham’s recruitment team worked hard to bring in new talent, signing James Maddison and Micky van de Ven as core members of a squad whose playing style would soon be completely revitalized by Australian manager Ange Postecoglou’s attacking play.
Both players hit the ground running, helping the team overcome the previous season’s struggles and propelling the club to the top of the table after going undefeated in the first 10 games. Then disaster struck, as both players sustained serious injuries during the November 6th match against Chelsea. Combined, the two starters have missed approximately 1890 minutes of football.
Tottenham would win only one of the next five matches. However, since that tragic streak of dismal performances, the club has found their footing and appears set to cause problems for other elite clubs in the league. Richarlison and Rodrigo’s returns attest to this.
Following the tie with United, Ange had a lot to say about his pride in his players throughout the injury and recuperation process:
“That’s the thing about this group… they put aside their own personal well-being in many ways and simply make themselves available [to play] because they want to support this squad. They can sense we’ve been going through a difficult period for a long time, and they… want to play.”
As the manager acknowledged in the post-match news conference, Cristian Romero, who was previously and possibly still sidelined, has moved his return to action forward by two weeks to provide the squad with the necessary support. That type of dedication, despite appearing imprudent, has ingrained itself in the minds of people who actually believe in the club’s potential under their new manager:
“These guys will not make excuses. If they didn’t play well or win today, they wouldn’t want me to come here and make excuses. When you think that there are guys who haven’t played in a while, it’s just an incredible effort from the lads, and it’s a credit to them.”
Spurs’ fortunes will improve over the next month, as James Maddison appears to be on the verge of playing. The club will add to its roster when Son Heung-min, Yves Bissouma, and Pape Sarr return from international duty in a few weeks. When you combine these elements with the arrivals of Timo Werner, Radu Dragusin, and a potential third acquisition before the end of the month, it’s safe to assume that Tottenham will have the pieces they need to compete at the highest level against any squad.
