As the curtain falls on 2024, the statistics tell a disheartening story for Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou and the club as a whole. Despite a season filled with promise, Spurs have managed to accumulate a mere 52 points in the Premier League throughout the year, marking their lowest tally since 2008. Heading into 2025, the team has only secured two victories from their last ten outings, following a frustrating 2-2 stalemate with Wolverhampton on Sunday. Hee-chan Hwang's early goal meant that Postecoglou's squad fell behind for the 15th time in 2024 at home, a record high for any Premier League team within a calendar year. Furthermore, Jorgen Strand Larsen’s late equaliser meant that Spurs have now gone five matches without a win in North London, replicating their worst stretch since 2008. However, it’s crucial to highlight the extenuating circumstances surrounding Spurs' dismal form. Rebuilding a team is never easy, and Postecoglou has faced an extraordinary injury crisis, which he has labelled as the worst in his 28-year coaching career. On Sunday, the manager was without seven key players, leading him to deploy Radu Dragusin for the 14th time in 15 games, despite the defender nursing an ankle injury sustained during the recent loss against Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day. The match concluded with Spurs fielding a defensive lineup consisting of veteran goalkeeper Fraser Forster, alongside Pedro Porro, Dragusin, the young Archie Gray, and Sergio Reguilon—who made his first league appearance for the club since April 2022. Postecoglou has been vocal about the fatigue affecting his squad following another disappointing result, suggesting that had they been sharper, they might have scored four goals. "We’re not firing on all cylinders, which is understandable given that we’re relying heavily on a small core group of players," he commented. With an arduous Thursday-Sunday fixture cycle, the strain is palpable, particularly for a team missing key personnel. Observing Spurs struggle to maintain pace at the City Ground and falter in the second half against Wolves, Postecoglou's concerns are certainly valid. The looming question for the beleaguered Australian manager is whether a rare week off—Spurs' first since August, not counting international breaks—can serve as a much-needed catalyst for change ahead of another crucial home fixture against Newcastle on Saturday. Postecoglou has granted his entire squad Monday and Tuesday off to "step away from everything and recuperate," with hopes of returning a revitalised group ahead of what is undeniably a pivotal week in his managerial career. Following the clash with Newcastle, Tottenham will also host Liverpool in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final, before travelling to non-league Tamworth in the FA Cup third round. Postecoglou's tactics hinge on maintaining fresh legs—especially the vigorous pressing that is instrumental in creating goal-scoring opportunities. A week off may just provide the spark needed for Spurs to fully embrace 'Ange-ball'. The manager is adamant that with fewer fatigued players and more options at his disposal, Spurs could quickly regain momentum and position themselves more suitably in the league standings. "We’ve demonstrated this year that we can overcome anyone," he asserted. Next week’s encounters against Newcastle and league leaders Liverpool—who are expected to rotate their squad—will put that theory to the ultimate test. While selection dilemmas may escalate, there is optimism that a refreshed core group will emerge, eliminating fatigue as an excuse. Moreover, there is a possibility of forward Richarlison and Mikey Moore returning to the bench next weekend after lengthy absences, which would alleviate some pressure off the front trio, especially captain Heung-min Son, who appears to be lacking confidence and energy after failing to convert a penalty against Wolves. Postecoglou could potentially bolster his squad further, having called for "assistance for these players" during the January transfer window in his post-match press conference. However, it’s worth noting that Rodrigo Bentancur will be suspended for the Newcastle match due to a late warning; James Maddison and Pape Matar Sarr are also banned for the Liverpool clash, and Destiny Udogie has become the latest defender facing a spell on the sidelines, following an injury sustained in the second half against Wolves. "We just haven’t had the capacity to rotate our players, and it was inevitable that fatigue would catch up with us," Postecoglou remarked, regrettably acknowledging the toll it has taken on Destiny. There is a case to be made that Postecoglou's choices have played a role in Spurs' injury woes, and he certainly hasn’t maneuvered the challenges of this season with flawless execution. However, considering the nature of his football style and the relentless fixture list, it seems more reasonable to evaluate Postecoglou based on the performances and results of a well-rested squad starting next week, rather than the diminished efforts of a fatigued team that has laboured through the festive season.