News from Tottenham as manager Ange Postecoglou prepares to lose three crucial players to international commitments
As they enter the second international break, Tottenham is about to suffer a severe triple hammer blow to their Premier League title hopes. Ange Postecoglou’s team is leading the Premier League for the first time in more than two years thanks to a superb start to the year.
The club has undoubtedly undergone a significant transformation as a result of the Australian’s arrival after having their best season debut ever. The likes of James Maddison, Manor Solomon, and Mickey van de Ven have all significantly contributed to their early triumphs in the league as a result of their excellent fit as summer additions.
There have been some spectacular moments for the club thus far, with the only blemish on their spotless record being a loss on penalties to Fulham in the Carabao Cup second round. Following a record-breaking comeback victory against Sheffield United, an action-packed 2-2 draw in the North London Derby versus sworn enemies Arsenal transpired shortly after.
Then, at the conclusion of their memorable and contentious match, Joel Matip’s header into the Liverpool goal appeared to continue their recent upward trend. All of that, though, might be about to change soon.
Unfortunately for Postecoglou, three of his top stars are already scheduled to be out for up to a month due to international commitments. Son Heung-Min, who will lead South Korea at the 2023 Asia Cup in January, would definitely be the biggest blow.
The pair have so far worked together well, with the 31-year-old being directly involved in two of Maddison’s goals, both of which came in the North London Derby. The star has also taken on the role of former teammate Harry Kane, scoring six goals in his first eight games, only four short of the 10 he managed in all of last season.
From January 12, 2024, to February 10, 2024, Son will be traveling to Qatar with Jurgen Klinsmann’s Taegeuk Warriors, during which time Spurs has four scheduled games against Manchester United, Brentford, Everton, and Brighton. The star could miss more time, though, if the team advances further in the FA Cup, which will take place around that time.
Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr, two key players for Postecoglou’s center midfield, will also be absent. The former will be out from their match against Fulham later this month after missing one game already this season due to his red card against Luton Town before to the international break.
It somewhat obscures how excellent Bissouma has been this year, given that Spurs’ early success was largely due to his build-up play and defensive prowess. He and Sarr’s relationship became the foundation of Postecoglou’s midfield, and their absence raises serious concerns about how the team will replace their exceptional performance after they both depart the Africa Cup of Nations.
Sarr will be in the Senegal camp with Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea. Sarr is competing in his second AFCON tournament after winning it once before in 2021, the year Senegal won the trophy. Since he only played 12 minutes in his first tournament, he’ll want to have a better tournament experience this time around. His excellent performances for Spurs throughout the season will have elevated him in the national setup.
The competition is scheduled to take place in the Ivory Coast from January 13, 2024, through February 11, 2024, during the same time period as the Asia Cup. It implies that both players can be absent from the same contests.
Postecoglou will undoubtedly be considering this already and will make every effort to handle it calmly, as he frequently does with other issues he encounters. Another concern is whether or not he will have the resources—and the players—to do so.
