Tottenham failed to rekindle their Premier League form after two clean-sheet performances in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup as they lost the North London Derby 2-1 to Arsenal on Wednesday night.
It wasn’t for a lack of trying, however, as the Lilywhites did go in front with captain Son Heung-min in the 25th minute, though the comeback was completed in the first half itself courtesy of a 40th-minute Dominic Solanke own goal and the eventual winner from Leandro Trossard in the 44th minute, after which Arsenal managed to hold on to secure all three points and move up to second in the league.
Spurs have now won none of their last five Premier League matches. Their performance in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final tie against Liverpool was commendable, but still, that is a 1-0 lead one would expect the Reds to overcome in the second leg, and despite winning their FA Cup tie 3-0 it cannot be ignored that they were taken to extra-time by a non-League side.
Things are not looking good for Ange Postecoglou. Spurs lie in the bottom half of the Premier League table, eight points off the drop zone and 13 points off Chelsea in fifth, which should be good enough to land Champions League football for next season. Consequently, Postecoglou’s players are also in the firing line, with a fair few bracing themselves for the axe that may arrive either this window or the next.
Here, we present to you our pick of the Spurs players who are playing for their futures ahead of the summer transfer window.
Maddison’s quality is undeniable, but there’s also no denying that his lack of work rate of the ball compared to his peers, particularly in a Postecoglou setup, does him too much harm. Even in the North London Derby, he was asked to come off the bench and not start—clearly Postecoglou is more worried about his lack of off-ball movement than the creativity he leaves off the pitch by putting Maddison on the bench.
Maddison is now 28 years old. He has had moments, but the trajectory of his career at Spurs has unquestionably plateaued. Some of this he can be held accountable for, and some of it is out of his control. Either way, he owes it to himself to get out of this rut by putting in his best in the weeks to come and see if someone else out there could be a better fit for him.
Another player who is in need of a move for the sake of his career. We already know most of what the situation is with Richarlison—a promising talent who has never managed to reach his potential. Mental health struggles further hint at a need for change, to go to a club where he feels more loved, but injury concerns of late have also made it hard for him to get that exit.
The Brazil international is back on the pitch now, though, and featured against Arsenal. We may yet see him leave Hotspur Way behind. If not, he needs to do the best he can to get to a club he feels more comfortable at.
Spence would in most likelihood have made near to no appearances this season if Spurs did not have as disastrous an injury record as they currently do. He may have been impressed by the Englishman’s application in training he stated, but Postecoglou showed no intention of offering Spence regular game time until things became way too desperate.
Spence spent the first half of last season on loan at Leeds United, who sent him back after he failed to impress amid injury woes. He then spent the remaining season on loan at Genoa, where again he did not pull up many trees despite getting regular game time.
At 24, Spence’s stock has fallen rather drastically for a player who a little over two years ago was one of the most exciting prospects in English football after impressing in the Championship during Nottingham Forest’s successful promotional push. In that, his trajectory has not been too different from his compatriot Ryan Sessegnon, another fullback-cum-wingback who after collecting accolades in the English second tier failed to make it big in the Premier League during his time at Spurs.
More Tottenham News
As it turns out, this injury-ravaged phase is a good time for Spence to put himself in the shop window and ensure his situation does not get as bad as Sessegnon’s did. He is playing, impressing in what is otherwise a Spurs defence down on luck and not helped by the manager’s preferences. He only needs to keep his current work rate up to ensure he finds a decent landing spot in the summer—that is, if Spurs move him on.
