Ange Postecoglou told he is out of excuses with Tottenham fate resting on one 'big test'

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has been told he has no excuses from here on out as injuries begin to clear up. Spurs have been ravaged by injuries throughout this season, with defensive issues piling up early on, and just as some of Tottenham’s best defenders prepare to return, an injury crisis has built up in the front line.

The signing of Mathys Tel will help, while Kevin Danso has come in to strengthen the back-line, but even the forward injuries are now clearing up a little, and Dominic Solanke should add to that later this month.

Plenty of damage has already been done, with the Carabao Cup and FA Cup now out of the picture, and the Premier League realistically settled as far as Spurs are concerned. It seems the best the North London club can hope for is safety, and at a push, a top half finish, and so any and all hopes are on the Europa League, which can provide a route to the Champions League.

And as far as Ange Postecoglou is concerned, his job may rely on a deep Europa League run, especially now that the injury excuses are disappearing with every returning player. That’s something National World’s James Trembath has highlighted, saying on the latest Spurs podcast, which can be viewed at the top of this page: “Yes, it's absolutely massive now, the Europa League. I think what we need to do really is get those 13, 14 points on the board to be absolutely mathematically safe. I know it might sound a bit dramatic, but let's get safe in the Premier League. Let's get to 40 points as quickly as we possibly can. And then if we need to, we start resting players in the league and we really throw everything at the Europa League.

“Obviously, there’s a huge prize at the end of it, potentially, with a spot in the Champions League, the Holy Grail. So it really is everything into that now. We've put a lot into it so far and the performances have been relatively strong. Only one defeat in that competition, against Galatasaray, so far, safely into the round of 16, and we are still awaiting our opponents obviously as well.

“But all the eggs need to go in the Europa League basket for me now. But let's get safe. We're not going to trouble the top six unless we have a real raffle here and some of our rivals really fall off a cliff. So, if we can get into the top 10, I think that would be something considering the problems we've had this year. But let's throw everything at the Europa League. It's interesting now, no midweek football for two or three weeks. I think Ange said about having a reset.”

No more excuses for Postecoglou

Speaking about the pressure on Postecoglou and the lack of excuses going forward, Trembath added: “I think this is the real time now we start to judge Ange Postecoglou. He's had all the excuses, the mitigating factors around the injuries. We've now got players back, we've now got full weeks of training, we can rest players, we can rotate.

“The players that are mentally and physically fatigued can obviously get a breather in as well. So in many ways, the season starts now and we as Spurs fans now can judge Ange Postecoglou on a level playing field, if you like, once these players are back in the XI. He said that he thinks we'll be an outstanding team. We haven't showed that previously when we've had a fit squad, it must be said. We've lost 21 out of 45 games now, which are absolutely horrific for him.

“A lot of people have been prepared to give him a bit of a pass. I've been a little bit more sceptical and there certainly seems to be worrying signs on the pitch, particularly, as I say, in that midfield area. We almost seem to have lost the ability to play in his philosophy. But now, full week of training, Manchester United ahead, a big test. But I want to see the real Spurs turn up now and if not, I think ultimately it will cost Postecoglou his job.”

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