Injuries. They’ve always been at the forefront of football. The absence of a star player through a broken leg or even a common cold are so often the deciding factors in a sport based on fine details and small margins. Sometimes, these margins decide the fate of a manager. Ange Postecoglou may be the next man to suffer the injustice of that misfortune.
Earlier this season, the former Celtic manager controversially stated that being a football manager was the "hardest job in any walk of life"- even trumping the stress of being the Prime Minister. When you consider the scrutiny he has faced, that statement doesn't seem so far-fetched.
Tottenham’s squad has been immensely depleted over the last few months. Most recently, up to 11 first team players have been unavailable for selection. Naturally, this has dramatically affected the Lilywhites’ performances - leading to disappointing exits in cup competitions and their worst league position at this point of the season this century.
That has resulted in a crippling amount of pressure being piled onto the Tottenham manager. The general consensus in the media and the objective football community is that the 59-year-old isn’t doing as well as he should, even considering the circumstances he has had to operate with. It’s his fault for being too stubborn to adapt and persisting with a system that isn't fit for purpose.
But is that fair? Shouldn’t the Australian be shown sympathy rather than criticism?
Postecoglou's injuries against Mourinho and Conte's
Injuries haven’t been the only thing weighing him down. Fan unrest is at an all-time high with the Spurs faithful gathering in their thousands to reprimand long-serving chairman Daniel Levy. They believe the 63-year-old billionaire is largely responsible for the well-documented trophy drought that has lasted 17 years. Admittedly, Levy is the common denominator. He has held the position of power in N17 since 2001 and in that duration, Tottenham have lifted only one trophy, the League Cup.
So maybe it’s more reasonable to compare Postecoglou’s performances to former managers that have had to work under similar parameters rather than other gaffers who have more funds at their disposal and a more positive atmosphere around the organisation.
Comparing the Australian’s fortune in terms of absences to his predecessors, namely Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho, it’s clear Postecoglou has had to deal with the most adverse circumstances. In fact, it could be argued that Tottenham’s injury crisis this season has been one of the worst instances in Premier League history.
Mourinho had to contend with serious injuries to influential figures Hugo Lloris, Harry Kane and Moussa Sissoko in his first season in charge. However, there was less pressure on the ‘Special One’ to perform as he came in mid-season to succeed Mauricio Pochettino.
Furthermore, the Covid-19 pandemic offered a reprieve to Mourinho in terms of the time it gave to the unavailable players to recover. Kane’s hamstring injury sustained against Southampton in January was initially thought to be season-ending. But after the pandemic stopped football in March, by the time it recommenced in June, Kane was available again and managed to play the last portion of the campaign.
Under the reign of Conte, Spurs didn’t have a significant injury crisis. Rodrigo Bentancur was arguably the best-performing player when his season ended prematurely due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury away to Leicester in February. But those sort of things can, and will, happen. Any objective fan can’t logically argue that Conte’s tenure at Tottenham didn’t go according to plan due to injuries. Anyways, that’s a story for another day.
Of course, it can be contested that both Mourinho and Conte’s pragmatic and hard-nosed style of play didn’t test the bodies of the players, particularly their delicate muscles, the way Postecoglou’s system does. But the two legendary disciplinarians still put their squad through their paces. You only have to cast your mind back to Conte’s gruelling fitness drill in his first pre-season in South Korea to find proof of that notion.
Under 'Big Ange', Tottenham have revolutionised their footballing philosophy. A throwback to the glory days of yesteryear and a way of playing that lends itself to the club motto - 'To Dare is to Do'. Every player is required to travel all over the pitch, interchange positions and run until the last whistle.
But without de-glamorising the beauty of that description, ultimately that is the requirement of the modern footballer regardless of who you play for.
So, if not the style of play, perhaps the training methods are causing the casualties?
That seems the simple, lazy and uninformed argument to make. It has also been disproved by the likes Pedro Porro and Eric Dier, who have gone on record by explaining how the approach to training is more considered and measured.
Everyone wants to point the finger of blame towards something. It’s a natural human response. But maybe it’s possible that the number of injuries are simply down to bad luck. Radu Dragusin suffered a significant knee injury after only being on the pitch for 16 minutes against Elfsborg. Goalkeeper Guglilemo Vicario fractured his ankle and continued to battle through it for the entire second half in the 4-0 victory over Manchester City.
It’s also very important not to disregard the consequences that the absences have on the players that are fit enough to play. Porro has been the only recognised senior defender at the club not to have sustained any sort of knock, injury or ailment this campaign.
As a result of his impeccable bill of health, the Spaniard has played more minutes than any outfield player in Europe’s top five leagues and is understandably showing signs of fatigue. 18-year-old Archie Gray has been omnipresent despite his body not even being fully developed yet, while even the eternally energetic Dejan Kulusevski looks shattered.
The amount of stress on the body and muscles eventually takes it’s toll and it's evident that the sheer amount of games has hindered what they are truly capable of. And that’s without exploring the mental impact of a relentless schedule that demands constant focus.
Last week was damning for Tottenham Hotspur as they were pitifully knocked out of both the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup with a forlorn whimper. In both matches against Aston Villa and Liverpool respectively, the players in Lilywhite just couldn’t match the intensity and tenacity of their opposition.
The two poor results had an air of inevitability about them. But, if you look at the squad Postecoglou had at his disposal, it’s unsurprising they couldn’t perform against the best team in the continent and a Villa outfit that are in the last 16 of the Champions League.
Antonin Kinsky was denounced on social media for making a couple of errors that lead to goals in those aforementioned games. Antonin Kinsky – a 21-year-old goalkeeper making his seventh and eighth appearance for his new club in a country he had never competed in previously. A stopper that was hailed as the new Pat Jennings after a Man of the Match performance on his debut against Liverpool in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final.
Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso made their debut in that Liverpool hammering after only signing for Spurs a few days prior. Gray - a teenage midfielder with bags loads of potential – seemed to be deployed in every position except his natural one against Arne Slot's Reds.
Lucas Bergvall only made 60 senior appearances in Sweden before joining up with the club in the summer after signing last January. He has already played 31 times for Tottenham. He’s also only 18.
In fact, out of all the Premier League clubs, Tottenham have comfortably given the most minutes to players aged 18 or younger. Postecoglou has handed 45 starts to those youth prospects over the course of the season, totalling to over 4000 minutes. The next closest side is North London rivals Arsenal, but their players aged 18 or younger have featured in virtually half of those minutes.
And that’s without even mentioning the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison and Ben Davies that have all been plagued with injury woes in recent times and clearly haven’t returned to full match sharpness or have reinjured themselves.
However, there is light at the end of the tunnel. And this time it may not be an oncoming train, that the manager has jokingly alluded to in past press conferences.
This Sunday, Spurs face mid-table rivals Manchester United in North London after having a full week to prepare. Their first proper clear week without interruption since November. Not only have the fit players been given a chance to recuperate, but finally a few of the individuals nursing injuries have a chance of reappearing.
As we possibly enter a state of normality let's reflect on just how bad the injury crisis got.
The injury crisis
Here's a debrief of the absentees Postecoglou wasn't able to call upon over the last fortnight. Top scorer Brennan Johnson, second top scorer and record signing Dominic Solanke. Prime creative force James Maddison. Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, Spurs’ first choice centre-back pairing who possess attributes that are crucial to the system, and Italian's Destiny Udogie and Vicario.
It’s easy to forget Wilson Odobert who looked bright in his first few outings after his £35 million move from Burnley before getting injured and then injured again. Timo Werner, Radu Dragsuin, Richarlison may not be the first names on the teamsheet but are still incredibly valuable for squad rotation especially when competing in four competitions and playing every three or so days.
Take the corresponding players out of any rival clubs and they will undoubtedly be experiencing a similar fate. For example, imagine Liverpool without Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, Andrew Robertson, Alisson, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez, Luis Diaz, Federico Chiesa, Dominik Szoboszlai and a few others. The hypothesis would indicate they’d probably struggle.
That became a reality last Sunday. Arne Slot made eight changes with many of the above left out. They lost 1-0 to Championship strugglers Plymouth Argyle. And that’s probably the best team in the world.
Now imagine that happening to a squad in a cathartic rebuild, full of fledgling and inexperienced young talent. The instability that situation causes is unfathomable. It’s credit to the players and staff that Spurs haven’t performed much worse. Yes, the medical team have to take some responsibility, but it’s football, injuries happen, and sometimes all at once.
To conclude, Postecoglou is working miracles to navigate an injury ravaged squad through a gruelling schedule. The Australian has been treated as the scapegoat for the appalling league position. And overall, he has faced the pressure with grace and decorum while defending his group of players that he insists are giving their all.
Yes, he isn’t perfect, but considering the hand he has been dealt, he’s somehow guiding an exhausted team through the adversity. The season isn’t over. Tottenham still have a trophy to fight for and with players finally retuning, Postecoglou will be confident he can prove his critics wrong.