Tottenham Hotspur have been told that manager Ange Postecoglou cannot afford the latest "big blow" coming his way, as one of his "mainstay" players faces a prolonged absence.
Postecoglou makes Spurs trophy promise in second season
Postecoglou caused a slight stir with his recent comments that he "always" wins silverware during his second season in charge of any club he has managed, with the Australian making a bold promise to deliver trophies this campaign as a result.
Tottenham's last honour came in 2008, when the north Londoners beat English capital rivals Chelsea to lift the Carling Cup, as it was then known. It's been 16 years since, and Spurs have come close on a number of occasions, most notably their Champions League final against Liverpool in 2019.
"Usually in my second season I win things," said Postecoglou on ending Spurs' trophy drought, in an interview with Sky Sports.
"That's the whole idea. First year is about establishing principles and creating a foundation. Hopefully the second year is going on to win things. Of course it's easier said than done, particularly in the Premier League and the competition we're in. That's always the way I've looked at it, is that the second year you should be in a position where you can push on, depending on how the first year has gone.
"Last year we had some really good moments, obviously we had some tough moments. I think we learnt as much from the tough moments as we did from the good stuff, and hopefully that means we're in a good place. We're definitely a better-prepared team than we were last year."
Earlier this month, he doubled down on that pledge, by stating he "always" wins things in his second year rather than just "usually". His confidence will at least be an encouraging sign for supporters, who have also watched Spurs sign a prolific goalscorer in Dominic Solanke to help them along.
Tottenham can't afford "big blow" as Bentancur faces 12-game ban
Unfortunately for Postecoglou, he has to entertain the possibility of being without £22 million midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur for a prolonged period. The Uruguayan was asked by a TV presenter in June for a Tottenham shirt, and he replied: “Sonny’s? It could be Sonny’s cousin too as they all look the same.”
Of course, this unacceptable comment has caused a stir, and Bentancur now faces a 12-game ban by the FA pending the result of an investigation. While the recommendation is likely to be six games, the prospect of double that length is a very real one, and even six would still hurt Spurs' short-term future.
Speaking to Tottenham News, Sky Sports pundit Paul Robinson says Spurs can't afford the "big blow" of Bentancur missing weeks of action.
“It’d be a big blow because he’s a mainstay in the midfield; it’s usually him and a teammate," said Robinson.
"Postecoglou normally plays with two holding midfielders as a rule, and he’s one of them. I think the squad is unbalanced as it’s overladen by wide players and attacking midfielders, and light in other areas, and that’s potentially one of them. Without Bentancur, Pape Sarr or Archie Gray could play in there.
“It’s a big squad but I think it’s unbalanced, so it’s an area where they can’t really afford to lose a key player such as Bentancur.”