Tottenham's season has gone from bad to worse with the news that their star striker Dominic Solanke will miss the crucial clash against Everton on Sunday due to a knee injury. This is just the latest in a long line of setbacks for the Lilywhites, who have been plagued by injuries all season.
Solanke's absence a huge blow for Spurs
Solanke has been one of the few bright spots in an otherwise dismal campaign for Tottenham. The £65 million summer signing from Bournemouth has scored seven goals in the Premier League and has been a near-ever present in the starting XI. His injury could not have come at a worse time for Ange Postecoglou's side, who are currently languishing in 15th place in the table, 14 points off the top four.
Richarlison set to deputise
With Solanke sidelined, the responsibility of leading the line will likely fall to Richarlison. The Brazilian has endured a difficult season, with injuries limiting his game time and impacting his form. However, he will need to step up and deliver against his former club if Tottenham are to have any hope of getting a result at Goodison Park.
Spurs' injury crisis deepens
Solanke is just the latest addition to Tottenham's lengthy injury list. The north London club are currently without a host of key players, including Guglielmo Vicario, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Destiny Udogie, Timo Werner, Rodrigo Bentancur and Wilson Odobert. This has left Postecoglou with a threadbare squad and severely limited options.
Make or break period for Tottenham
The next few weeks could define Tottenham's season. After the Everton game, they face a crucial Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Liverpool at Anfield, where they hold a slender 1-0 lead from the first leg. Solanke's absence will be keenly felt in that match, as he provided the assist for Lucas Bergvall's winner in the first meeting.
If Tottenham fail to get results in these upcoming matches, their season could well be over before the end of January. The pressure is mounting on Postecoglou, and he will need to find a way to get the best out of his depleted squad if he is to turn things around.
One thing is for sure - it is shaping up to be a long and painful season for Tottenham fans. The club's injury woes have exposed the lack of depth in the squad, and unless reinforcements are brought in during the January transfer window, it is hard to see how they will be able to compete on all fronts.
Excuses, excuses
Of course, some will point to the injury crisis as an excuse for Tottenham's poor form. But the fact remains that the club has spent heavily in recent years and should have a squad capable of coping with a few absentees. The reality is that too many of Tottenham's players have underperformed this season, and that is down to more than just bad luck with injuries.
Postecoglou has some serious thinking to do if he is to salvage something from this season. He needs to find a way to get his team firing again, and fast. Because if results don't improve soon, he could well find himself out of a job.
